The Dragon's Reality
by Melinda Malfoy
Summary: NO MORE UPDATES! SEQUEL TO THE DRAGON'S PRESENT. After being kidnapped by Draco Malfoy and escaping, Ginny is planning on starting fresh, but she gets a nasty little surprise and Lucius Malfoy decides how to deal with it.
1. Chapter One

**December **

Ginny looked into the mirror and wondered how this had happened. No, she knew how it happened but she couldn't help but ponder as to _why_. What gods thought so little of her that she was, at sixteen, facing such a grim and depressing destiny? Sighing, she flattened the front of her dress and looked once more at her reflection. For once she was glad the Contract forbid her to cry or show emotion in public. She reckoned without it she would be balling. Briefly, she wished the Contract would actually make her feel as happy as her reflection looked, because at the moment she felt horrible. The fact that she wasn't crying didn't change the desperation in her heart. 

"I'm getting married," she told the smiling reflection staring back at her, for such a beautiful girl surely couldn't know that in just a thirty minutes time she would be walking down the aisle to be married to a man she loathed. She knew the entireties of the guests waiting in the Malfoy's ballroom downstairs were saying she was embarking a perfect Marriage through the perfect wedding. If only they knew the whole story.

**September **

Ginny sat staring out the window of the Hogwarts Express, watching the scenery rush by in a blur of green trees and gray mountains, listening to the steady thud-da-dump, thud-da-dump, of the train going down the rail. She was glad to be getting back to Hogwarts; it would be a return to normalcy. Perhaps she could forget about the last month with Draco. '_Fat chance,' _she thought. Too much had happened to forget about it. How could she forget that he raped her numerous times, treated her like an object, and refused her human all other contact? In the last week she had tried to forget about the horrendous ordeal but all the previous reasons made it nearly impossible. 

Due to the fact that she was coming up five days late, the usually bristling Hogwarts Express was empty now except for her and a few witches too pregnant to Apparate**,** but wanted a day enjoying themselves in Hogsmeade. This left Ginny once again alone, and now she had a new detest for loneliness. Not only did it remind her of the horribly lonely month of August she spent locked in the Malfoy Manor**,** but it gave her time to reflect, and reflecting wasn't what she wanted to do. For when she sat with her eyes closed**,** all she could see were blurbs of last August. She had spent the last week shopping in Diagon Alley with her mother to get her school things, and relentlessly trying to convince the Ministry of Magic that she wasn't under a Confundus Charm, that she had really been kidnapped by Lucius Malfoy and forced to sleep with his son,Draco, on a regular basis. But like always, Lucius Malfoy had had the Ministry in the back of his pocket and both Lucius and Draco had gotten off without having been charged with kidnapping or rape. Which meant Draco was going to be at Hogwarts. 

As much as she was looking forward to her return to Hogwarts, Ginny was positively dreading seeing Draco. She was telling herself that it was because he would simply remind her of what he had done to her but she knew it was much more. She wouldn't admit this to anyone, even to herself. After all she _had_ escaped from Draco's clutches, even if she did have to bribe him with sex and pretend to be a complete tart. But the memories of their last two meetings were still fresh. Both times Ginny had seen Draco, he had been controlling, harsh, and collected, not the boy Ginny had dealt with while she was still at the Manor. She suspected it had to do with his Death Eater activities but had no way of backing that up. Death Eater or not, Draco and Lucius couldn't do anything to her with Albus Dumbledore around. Could they? 

**A/N:** Sorry it took so long to get up. Updates should be twice a month, and chapters will be longer than this one. If you'd like an update e-mail please review and say so, and leave your e-mail address in the review. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter Two

Several boring and rather lonely hours later, the train arrived and Ginny departed to find Hagrid waiting for her on the platform.

"'Ello there Ginny!" Hagrid bellowed. "Welcome back!" 

"Hello Hagrid. Thanks for picking me up." 

"Glad ta do it Ginny. Glad ta do it!" Hagrid said as he hoisted Ginny's trunk into his arms. "Let's git goin'**,** we can take one of the horseless carriages 'up ta the castle." 

"Thanks for the help," Ginny said as she helped herself into the carriage. 

"Ain't never taken one o' these thingies before.I always cross the lake with the firs' yeas." Ginny nodded and looked out the window to watch the castle looming over the lake grow closer and closer. 

"Why don ya go right to dinner Ginny?" Hagrid said when they reached the castle, "The elves 'ill take this stuff up to ya dorm." 

"Thanks Hagrid," She readily agreed. After all, Harry was likely to be at dinner. "Bye Hagrid," she said with a smile. 

"Goodbye Ginny," he said but leaned down to whisper something to her, "And Don't ya let that Malfoy git to ya. He ain't worth it." 

"Thanks" she said with a smile and opened the front door to find the entryway filled with students fresh from their last class of Friday afternoon. 

"Ginny!" she heard someone yell excitedly and looked up to see Harry, Ron and Hermione running down the steps towards her in a rush. 

"Hi!" she said as the four of them embraced. 

"We're so glad you're here!" Hermione exclaimed. 

"How was your little break?"

"Nice, but lonely. I'm actually glad to be back." 

"Psh," Ron spoke up, "You can't possibly miss _Snape_," 

"He's better than Malfoy," Ginny countered. 

Ron looked like he wanted to contradict her but thought better of it. 

"Speaking of Snape, we should go." Hermione said, sending a glare towards

Ron. 

"Huh?" Ginny asked looking between her brother and friend. 

Harry chuckled, "Someone was caught playing footsies in Potions class." 

"No!" Hermione countered, "Someone got caught _trying_ to play footsies in Potions class and got us _both_ a detention." Hermione said indignantly. Ron was too busy turning the shade of his hair and looking chagrin to comment. "Well no use to make it worse," she said, "We should be going," Hermione said again, and they were off, leaving Ginny and Harry standing alone. 

"Er- walk you to dinner?" Harry offered. 

"Sure," Ginny smiled. They walked together in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Harry finally cleared his throat and said, "So er- how umm- was your train ride." 

"Frightfully boring actually." 

"I've always liked the train ride up," Harry said. 

"Yes, but it was really just hours of being alone because everyone else came up five days ago," 

"Why _did_ you come up today instead of waiting until Monday?" 

"I told Mum I wanted the weekend to get set but honestly I couldn't take just sitting around the house much longer. I was glad to be home and even more delighted to see her again but I just wanted to get back here and have something to concentrate on, so I just told her I wanted the weekend to settle in." 

"And she believed you?"

"Apparently." they sat down at the Gryffindor table. "Are Hogsmeade weekends still on?"

**"**Of course." 

"Oh, well I just thought with You-Know-Who on the loose they wouldn't want us all in Hogsmeade." 

"Dumbledore must not think he's a threat." Harry shrugged. 

"It's his myrmidons I'm worried about." 

"Is Draco still getting to you?" 

Ginny sighed and set down her fork. 

"Yes and No. I'm not scared of Draco; I'm scared of Draco as a Death Eater. I know he can't do anything to me here with Professor Dumbledore around**,** but I don't like the idea of him being close to me,' she shuddered involuntarily. 

"Well you know Ron and I are here for you if Malfoy gets to you. Not to mention Hermione; She could out spell Malfoy any day." 

"I know. I just hate seeing him and knowing he got away with it all." 

"Like you said on the train, he'll get what's coming to him." Harry commented and patted her on her back. Ginny let a little smile curl onto her lips when she felt Harry's hand remained there. It felt good. 

~ 

Draco walked into the Great Hall after lessons on Friday afternoon smiling like there was no tomorrow. The mud-blood and Weasel had managed to get themselves a detention in potions that morning by being all lovey dovey. They had deserved it. He was just striving past the Gryffindor table when a flash of long red hair caught his eye. He stopped dead in his tracks and focused on the redheaded figure. There was his pet sitting with Potter and that insufferable git had his arm slung over her shoulder. He stared at them, his eyes narrowing into two dangerous silver slits. Potter had no right to touch her. She was _his, _not Potter's but _his._ _His _father had given her to _him _for his seventeenth birthday not that scar-faced orphan. Spitefully, his thoughts drifted back to that day on the train. She had told him he would get what's coming to him, but he believed that _she_ would get what was coming to _her_. That little whore played with his emotions; nobody did that to Draco Malfoy and lived to tell about it. He remembered clear as day the terror in her eyes when she saw him in his Death Eater robes. He would make her pay. True, his father had forbid him to go near the girl, but he was certain he could cause a fair amount of terror without actually being near her. He sat down at the Slytherin table in clear sight of Ginny and Potter, staring at her until she looked up and caught his eye. He gave her a cold smile and as if to say, "I have something you can never give Potter," she glanced away in a split second but Draco reckoned it was enough to make her uncomfortable. 

Ginny snuggled into Harry's comforting shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

"I'm fine" she sighed. Harry looked up to see Draco Malfoy staring at them. He stared back and tightened his grip around Ginny. Malfoy would come nowhere near Ginny when he was around. 

It surprised Ginny how nice it felt to be in Harry's arms. They were so comfortable, unlike Malfoy's where she had had to force herself to stay put. 

They finished eating and Harry hurried Ginny up to the common room so he could have some time alone with her before Gryffindor tower was flooded with students studying for early term exams and—for those who were lucky enough to escape homework—the sounds of exploding snap games. 

"Nice to be back," Ginny said, settling herself onto a couch. 

"I love it here," Harry said. "If I had it my way I'd never leave." 

"What are you going to do when you _have_ to leave Harry?" 

"I'm thinking about being an Auror."

"Really?" Ginny asked. She would just love to be married to an Auror. 

"Yeah. I'd love to help people, and the Ministry needs all the help it can get with all this Vol—Sorry, You-know-who business." 

"That's very noble of you." 

"Thanks," Harry smiled that smile that made Ginny feel like swooning. It was that same boyish grin she had been become absolutely smitten with when she was eleven. Another awkward silence fell between them. 

"So Er, Ron and Hermione have been rather cuddly lately have they?" Ginny finally spoke up. 

"Yeah," Harry said plopping down next to her. "It's been rather sickening being around them all the time actually. Don't get me wrong, we're still best friends, but it's easy to feel like a third wheel." 

"I can imagine," Ginny said with meaning. Hermione and her had started to become friends in fourth year, and good friends in fifth year but she had always felt like the fourth wheel on a tricycle. 

"Have we ever, er, made you feel that way Gin?" Harry asked cautiously. 

"Sometimes," she replied honestly. 

"I'm sorry Ginny." 

"It's okay. You never did it intentionally." Harry was saved from replying by a group of chatting sixth years entering the common room. 

"Ginny!" Kelly, one of Ginny's roommates called, "we're so glad to see you back." 

"We all heard about your kidnapping of course," another girl jumped in. 

"The most horrific rumors have been flying about. Creevy said he heard Draco Malfoy saved you!" someone else piped up. 

"I can't believe it!" 

"Of course I don't think any of us would say no to a little rescuing by Draco Malfoy," Kelly concluded with a smirk, prompting the other girls to giggle. "Well like I said, we're just delighted you're back." And with that the chatting group went up the girls' staircase without Ginny getting so much as a word in. 

Harry watched them go. 

"I don't blame you for becoming friends with Hermione," he said. "Those girls seem annoying," 

Ginny snorted, "Tell that to the sixth year boys. They all seemed quite smitten with Kelly." 

"Well they just don't know what to look for," he said with a meaningful look towards Ginny. She blushed and looked down into her lap. Draco was behind her, Harry liked her, and it seemed as if she had an in into the infamous trio. This year was shaping up to be a good one.

**A/N:** Review if you'd like e-mail updates and leave your e-mail address in the review. If you're not a Harry/Ginny fan just stick with me here for a few chapters, I promise Draco will come back full force in just a few chapters. 


	3. Chapter Three

Ginny would have never guessed just how much information teachers could cover in the first week of term until she missed it.The combination of summer break and missing a week of school left Ginny utterly lost. 

"Hermione," she pleaded in distress on a particular hectic afternoon, "I don't understand this at all.It's as if I'venever learned any of it.Please, _please_ help me" 

"It's simple Ginny," Hermione said.Ginny rolled her eyes.Hermione had the unfortunate habit of thinking difficult things easy."Transfiguration is simple so long as you remember the wand techniques—" and Hermione went off into a particularly long explanation, that Ginny didn't think of having any real value to what she was learning.She already knew all that, but it felt as if Transfiguration had become a foreign language lately.It wouldn't have mattered if she had been excelling in Transfiguration though, because today she just wasn't in the mood to do homework.Instead, she was constantly looking up at the portrait hole, waiting for Harry and Ron to return from Quidditch practice, because Harry was going to teach her some stunt flying techniques.She wasn't particularly fond of flying but when she let this slip to Harry he insisted she allowed him to teach her and when Harry insisted, Ginny couldn't help but agree. 

"Hey!" Hermione and Ginny heard Harry and Ron's unmistakable voices call as they entered the portrait hole.Ginny looked up and her mouth dropped open.Harry looked simply irresistible in his Quidditch robes, and judging by Hermione's open mouth, so did Ron.

"Still up for flying?" Harry asked after the other couple had stumbled out of the portrait hole mumbling some excuse about Ron needing a book. 

"Yeah, I've been looking forward to it all day." 

"Great, then you won't mind if I don't change so we can get as much flying as possiblebefore night fall?" 

"N-no," Ginny said in disbelief.She couldn't believe her luck at getting to spend a whole evening with Harry looking like that."Just let me run up to my room and get my broom." 

"You've a broom?" Harry called after her. 

Ginny smiled to herself, oh yes, she had a broom.In fact, she had completely forgotten about it until after Harry had left for school so she couldn't tell him until she returned.Once she had gotten onto the Knight Bus, she had shrunken the Firebolt down and stuck itin her pocket.Three days later she had pulled it out when she was helping her mother launder the clothes.Ever since then, she had just been dying to casually bring it up in a conversation.Harry had offered her the perfect opportunity when he suggested teaching her stunt flying.She descended the staircase back into the common room. 

"Is that..?" Harry said pointing at the Firebolt. 

"Yup," Ginny smiled and turned the handle to show where Draco had embossed "Malfoy" on the handle."It's what I escaped on," she said.

"Well I always knew that ferret was good for something."Harry said and lead her out of the portrait hole. 

~ 

Draco Malfoy grabbed his Nimbus 2001 and fled throughthe dungeons.Pansy was being particularly obnoxious, exclaiming over her new boyfriend from Beauxbaton.Draco suspected it was because she now regretted dumping him and wanted to make him jealous, but Ginny's friendly and complacent nature had been a breath of fresh air compared to Pansy's nagging and he had little intention of getting back with her.

_'No,'_ he reminded himself, '_Ginny was a lying little whore, only good for one thing.Pansy was always a good lay, maybe she's good for the same thing as Ginny,'_

His father had promised to send him a new Firebolt once he got the time but he'd been at school for almost two weeks to no avail; he was considering sneaking off the grounds and getting one for himself if his father didn't come through soon. 

"I missed you so much!" he heard a familiar voice waft down the staircase that led to the entrance hall. 

"I missed you too Gin," he heard Potter's voice reply.Draco let out a miniscule groan and waited for the voices to pass.The last thing he needed was to see Ginny and Potter walking out to the grounds to have a pleasant, romantic, walk.As tempting as it was to go up and casually bump into them he wasn't much in the mood to get into a wizard's duel with Potter. 

"I was so sick of pretending to like him.Yuck, the thought of his hands on me…" Draco clutched his wand harder. 

"I'm sorry Ginny," Harry said, "I knew where you were for almost the whole time; I could have gotten you out." 

"No you couldn't have. With that blasted charm that was on the door I needed _him_ in the room." 

"So we're not referring to _him_ by name anymore?" 

"Not because I'm still frightened of him, rather because I don't think he deserves a name."

Potter let out a laugh and Draco heard the front doors open and shut.He waited a few minutes until he was sure Potter and Ginny were far enough away from the front door and well into their walk.Students usually walked towards the lake where there were groves of pleasant trees that offered plenty of privacy.The Quidditch pitch, Draco assumed, would thus be empty. 

~ 

"Right," Harry said once they had reached the pitch, "well, mount your broom. Now, for stunt flying you want to grip your broom differently than for racing," mounting his own Firebolt, he took the opportunity to place his hand over hers and place it on the broom.He turned his head and found himself two inches from her, "You've-er-you've got a Firebolt," he stuttered tearing his eyes and hands away, "so it should be pretty easy to handle.But watch out, if you try and stunt fly with another broom you won't be used to the handling.

"Alright" Ginny gulped. 

"So uh, kick off and rise about five meters or so and we'll try some basics." 

Ginny had never quite understood the allure of expensive brooms but as she rose with the Firebolt, it all made sense.It was like a wisp of air was carrying her up and miraculously supporting her. 

"Nice isn't it?" Harry asked appearing beside her. 

"Yeah.I never knew flying could be so easy." 

Harry laughed."We'll start with something exceedingly simple.Just fly around in a circle." Ginny did just that and the marvelous feeling of the wind in her hair brought back the memory from just two weeks ago when she escaped from the Malfoys'. 

"Good good!" Harry praised."Now why don't we try some dives?" 

~ 

Draco ran up to the Qudditch pitch, relieved to get some of his frustrations out.The more he thought about it, the more he realized how horrid his life was going.Ginny, _his_ Ginny, _his_ present was lazily scrolling the ground with Scarface, bad mouthing him, the little whore.He had just committed his first act as a Death Eater and now it was up in the air whether or not his father would propose his initiation to the Dark Lord, and he was stuck at school, with an old broom, watching the Whore and Scarface together, having absolutely no control over his own future.All he wanted now was to soar through the air, diving and twisting on his broom until the adrenaline ran so thick in his system that he could forget about his worries completely. He spotted them, up a good twenty feet in the air with Potter in the lead and Ginny flying behind him, her red hair flowing out behind him.Draco had an instantaneous flash of Ginny laying her head on his chest, her long locks spread playfully across his body, but he shook his head and it was gone.In its place were Harry and Ginny chasing one another.As much as he wanted to move, he couldn't, he was routed to his place watching the pair of them. 

~ 

What had started out to be a flying lesson was quickly changing into a fun filled game of tag.First Harry had simply suggested she tried to follow him to learn some dives, but as Ginny came closer and closer to catching up with him, he began to fly faster and faster.Soon they were laughing and instead of diving, Harry was flying faster and higher trying to outrun Ginny, constantly looking back to see how close he was to being 'caught'. Ginny, however, was holding her own.Harry went into a sharp dive and she attempted to follow, but Ginny still wasn't quite used to flying yet, so the dive caused her grip to slip and she began to tumble through the air.

~ 

Draco watched Ginny fall and smiled.Yes she'd get what she deserved. 

~ 

Harry glanced behind him to see where Ginny was just in time to see her fall off her broom.Immediately he stopped smiling and, face set in grim determination, dove to save her.He dove going into an almost perfect imitation of the Wronski Feint in order to get to her in time.

~

It was funny, Ginny thought, how much time seemed to slow down when one thought they were going to die.She guessed she had only had been falling for a split second but in that time she had had thetime to process the fact that she was probably going to die a rather messy death, never having kissed Harry Potter, had kids, or been in love all before cold hard dread and fear set in.Yet before she did actually hit the ground she felt herself collide with something soft and warm before she was swooped casually to the ground, still in Harry's arms.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, not bothering to set her down. 

"I'm-I'm fine," she stuttered.At least if she was dead, this was certainly heaven."Thank you for uh, saving my life Harry.I owe you a Wizard's debt." 

"I would never dream of claiming it," he said. He swallowed looking down at Ginny in his arms, she was so small and tempting, and oh that red hair was simply irresistible.Without thinking he leaned down and kissed her.Ginny was stunned.She had kissed Draco countless of times and almost every time was just as pleasurable as the last but there was something completely different about kissing Harry, and it wasn't just that it was new, there was actually emotion behind that kiss.Ginny hardly had time to process all this before Harry had pulled his mouth away from hersand set her down. 

"Gin I'm sorry," Harry said, "I mean you were just saying how much you hated _him_ for touching you all the time and here I went and kissed you.I'm sorry, I-I'll go now."Ginny stood there open mouthed, shocked by what Harry was saying while Harry retrieved his broom and walked of the pitch.She shook herself out of her stupor. 

"Harry!" she called running after him, "Harry wait!" He turned and Ginny couldn't help but a catch a small glimmer of hope in those lovely eyes."I hated how he demanded me to touch him but, but kissing you was completely different.I want you to kiss me, I actually enjoyed that, not, not just my body.When Draco kissed me, I couldn't think about the fact that it was he, but with you it's so different.Please, _please _don't walk away," she pleaded. 

~ 

Draco watched the entire, rather sickening, scene from where he was standing, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits.Once Ginny pleaded for Potter not to walk away he decided he'd seen enough, so he turned and walked the other way, dragging the handle of his Nimbus 2001 behind him.

~

"Are you sure Gin?" Harry asked.

"Yes.Harry I-I really want this, I mean a relationship—" she snapped her jaw shut.'_Nice move,'_ she thought, '_Perhaps he doesn't want a relationship."_

"Oh Ginny, I want a relationship too.I just wasn't sure if you're ready."

"I'm ready I just, well kissing's fine but let's just take things nice and slow."

Harry gulped; he could do slow."Alright, just one more thing."

"What's that?"

"You tell Ron.He's protective of you, possibly over protective since the whole Malfoy ordeal.I don't think he wants anyone near you, not even me."

Ginny laughed, "I'll tell him."

"Great!" Harry gathered both their brooms up, swung them over his shoulders and grabbing Ginny's hand, the couple walked towards the castle together.

**A/N:**Review and put your e-mail in the review if you'd like to be added to the update notice list.Again, stick with me.You'll see how Draco will become a more prominent part of the story next chapter.


	4. Chapter Four

"Ron," Ginny said a week later sliding into the chair next to him in the Gryffindor common room. 

"Yeah Gin?" Ron asked. Ginny took a deep breath. She had been trying to tell Ron that and Harry were an item for some time now, but she could hardly find any time alone with him and when she did manage to do so, she always lost her nerves. This particular time found Harry sitting on the other side working on Transfiguration with Hermione, whom Harry had already told, while Ron was sitting across the room doing Herbology so he could concentrate without Hermione distracting him. Or at least that's what he was telling Hermione, because Ginny could see _Quidditch Through the Ages_ open on his lap. She caught Harry's eye and he violently jerked his head in Ron's direction mouthing 'TELL HIM' across the common room. 

"Well um, I was, I just thought you should know. Er-" 

"Huh?" he said obviously distracted 

She took a deep breath "Harry and I are a couple," she sprouted and held her breath. 

"Okay," he mumbled distractedly still reading. Ginny couldn't believe her luck. She quietly slipped away to join Harry and Hermione. 

"You told him?" Harry asked in a whisper leaning over the table. 

"What'd he say?" Hermione asked setting down her book and leaning her head in with Harry and Ginny. 

"Just okay." 

Harry chuckled, "Are you sure he heard y-" 

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Came a yell from across the common room. Harry, Ginny and Hermione, along with the rest of the Gryffindor common room, turned their heads to see Ron standing up, _Quidditch Through the Ages lay open on the floor. _

"Shhhhh," Harry said, motioning him frantically over. 

"Sorry," Ron mumbled when he had reached them. "Now what's this?" 

"We're a couple," Harry said. 

"A couple?" Ron replied dryly. "But Gin, you just got out of the Malfoy Manor, are you _sure you want to be with someone?" _

"Ron," Ginny scolded, "of course I do."

Ron didn't look happy about it but he mumbled something about he'd rather it was Harry than someone else and sat down at their table. Hermione curtly walked across the common room where she picked up _Quidditch Through the Ages and Ron's Herbology book before slapping the later down in front of Ron with the command of "Study. We have NEWTs this year!" However, this grudging acceptance didn't stop Ron from pulling Harry aside on their way to Charms to tell him that if he hurt Ginny, or 'did anything like Malfoy did to her,' he could cease to think of Ron as a friend and start to think of him as a very upset older brother. Harry only smiled and told Ron he had nothing to worry about._

Potions was decidedly Ginny's least favorite part of the week. Snape was a right bastard and in the beginning of sixth year, students learned about potions that, although sometimes legal, were too dangerous to make or involved unfortunate side effects. 

"The Vir potion's key ingredients," Snape's voice droned, "are frog spleen, snails and puppy dog tails along with erumpent horn. Mixed with water and a small amount of protein, it has numerous side effects for females, each one as unpleasant as the next. These include, extreme lightheadedness, temporary loss of judgment and extreme hair growth along with changing of one's hair color. It can also almost always cause an expecting female in her first trimester to miscarry. That is the main reason we do not brew it here at Hogwarts. In fact, it's not in any books that are in Hogwart's library." Ginny stopped listening. Although the smells in the potions' dungeon had always been rather fowl, she had just recently started feeling rather nauseus. "Of course the Vir potion has its uses too. It causes the drinker to overcome fears. The Ministry of Magic or other governments use it to cause frightened victims to testify in court. The most famous use is when Percival Peccadillo was under trial in 1387 and it was used to allow no less than 47 of his victims to testi—" 

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK** A sound interrupted Snape's lecture. 

"What is it?" he snapped flinging open the door to reveal none other than Draco Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy," Snape said dropping the edge on his voice, "What do you require." 

"I'm sorry Professor," Malfoy spoke up, "I wasn't aware you had a class." 

'_Liar,' Ginny thought, '_You somehow knew Snape had sixth year Gryffindors and that's why you're here; to terrorize me.' __

"Well I do. Having acquired this information, do you think it might be prudent for you to come back at a later time?" 

"Certainly Professor," Malfoy said in a voice dripping in fake sweetness. "You don't need any assistance now that I'm here though, do you?" He turned his head and sent a brief, malicious smile in Ginny's direction; so brief that Ginny wondered if she had imagined in. 

'_Say no. Say no!' Ginny pleaded silently. _

Snape hesitated. "Actually yes, there are numerous test on my desk that need grading. I would be grateful if you'd grade them for me. There is a key next to them. I believe there's an empty desk next to Ms. Weasley, why don't you sit there." Snape said and continued with his lesson. Ginny tried to listen, she really did, but Malfoy was sitting next to her casually marking papers and she kept getting the feeling that he was staring at her, but whenever she turned around he was sitting there casually marking papers. 

"Miss. Weasley," Snape called, "would you care to pay attention or is there something you find entertaining that you would like to share with the class?" The sixth years giggled. 

"Uh, no sir. I'm sorry. I'll try and pay attention." 

"Yes, and five points from Gryffindor to remind you to do that." The Slytherins laughed more while the Gryffindors rolled their eyes. Long time ago they had all agreed that loosing points from Snape was far too easy of a feat to accomplish and not worth being scornful over. For the rest of the lesson Ginny paid attention as best she could, occasionally jotting down a note or two about a particularly vial potion. 

Draco Malfoy sat next to Ginny trying desperately not to look at her, not because he didn't want to, but because he was petrified of what would happen if he did anything and his father found out. It was torture, catching her red hair out of the corner of his eye and not looking up. He was certain he had marked a few wrong answers right and vice versa but he frankly didn't care. Never, not even in care of Magical Creatures, had he ever been so happy to hear the bell ring. It seemed Ginny felt the same way because she practically bolted from her desk and into the hall. He sighed; no doubt her little protection trio would be after him soon. 

"Draco," Professor Snape said, "that was an interesting stunt you just pulled. I'm under instructions from your father to keep you away from that girl." 

"I didn't know she was here Professor, even when I offered to help you." Snape raised a questionable eyebrow. "Honestly!" Draco protested. "I-uh- needed to talk to you about something, and the common room was becoming unbearable so I decided it'd be easier if I just stayed here." That wasn't a lie, he didn't have a clue that Ginny was in Snape's class when he knocked on the door and didn't see her until Snape suggested that he corrected papers on the desk next to her. He was actually there in order to flee from the Slytherin Common Room, where Pansy was being simply insufferable. Not in the mood to deal with her, he had decided it would be a good time to see if Snape knew anything about his recruitment. Snape nodded slowly in response to Draco's request to talk and shut the door with a wave of his wand. 

"This room is soundproof Draco. What do you wish to talk about?" 

"I want to become a Death Eater." 

"I know this Draco, but you know I can't do much about it. Our Lord just doesn't trust me enough." 

"I know that, but certainly you must know something about recruiting; you are the most likely candidate to get new Death Eaters to our cause." 

"The Dark Lord trusts me with very little Draco, you know that. My tasks mainly involve the things your own father tells me to do, and he tells me to do very little besides inform him of Potter's and Dumbledore's activities." 

"So you know nothing?" Draco said with his shoulders slumped. 

"Well I talked to your father a few days ago and he didn't mention you _not_ being initiated nor did he mention that you _were_ to be initiated." 

"So there's still hope?" he said with excitement. 

"Yes," Snape said slowly, "Draco, are you worried your father won't let you become a Death Eater because of what happened with the Weasley girl?" 

"Yes," Draco mumbled, "but it wasn't my fault! I know the Dark Lord wouldn't care; it's my father I'm worried about. He listens to my father and there's no getting around him." 

"Yes, your father does yield much power in our circle doesn't he Draco?" Draco nodded, "I'll mention your achievements lately to him if you like but that's all I can do." 

"Thank you Professor," Draco said as he got up to get the door. 

"You're welcome Draco. Also, I would take care to stay away from Miss. Weasley. Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger may not approve." 

"I know," Draco said, "so that's why I've learned a few new hexes. Goodbye Professor." 

"Goodbye Draco." 

Professor Severus Snape sighed and went into his office once Draco had closed the door behind him. In some ways, Draco was nearly as dangerous as his father was, but this was a new side of him. He wasn't sure how to deal with him. The boy was critical; a lot of the Slytherins followed his steps. But hadn't he made a comment about wanting to leave the common room? He sighed again, taping a teacup with his wand so that it immediately filled with steaming tea. Oh how he wanted this blasted war to be over. 

October came to Hogwarts accompanied by cold temperatures, storms and wind. But the trio, along with Ginny, was in good spirits. Ginny in particular was happy, despite waking up almost every morning feeling sick, which she assured herself was just the result of a bug. She had finally reached the point where Draco wasn't plaguing her thoughts at every turn. 

Draco Malfoy seemed to realize this, for as he sat at the Slytherin table on dinner watching Ginny and Potter together, he didn't know he could hate someone quite so much. 

"Draco," Pansy was saying, "Did you hear what I said?" 

"Huh?" he said snapping back to reality. 

"I said Pierre and I broke up." Draco shrugged. 

"Well?" 

"Well what?" he countered. 

"Well aren't you happy, we can be together now!" 

Draco fought the urge to laugh. 

"Fine," he said. 

"That's it? Fine? Don't tell me you're still after that Weasley girl!" 

Draco turned to look at her horrified. Was he that obvious? 

"Oh everyone knows about where she _really_ was this summer, but she's with Potter now. Just look at her," she said nodding at the Gryffindor table. Draco did, indeed she was lounging with her head on Potter's shoulder and it looked suspiciously like their legs were intertwined. "Why keep longing after her. Surely she served her purpose, but she's really nothing more than a muggle-lover, almost as bad as a mudblood. I'm here now," Pansy, reminded him, "and I'm not just going to serve a purpose. She played games with you, didn't she? You know me; I'm not fake; I'll be here." 

Draco tore his eyes away from Ginny and looked at Pansy. She _was_ rather pretty, with curves in all the right places, and perhaps she would be nice to have around. 

"Yes," Draco said sitting up straight, "we do make a good couple." Pansy clapped her hands together. 

"I'll make you forget her," Pansy whispered, "I know you're still after her but you don't need to worry about her ever again." 

Draco nodded and swallowed.

"We should be going," Harry, said, "Quidditch practice and all." 

"You've got a match against Ravenclaw soon don't you?" Hermione questioned. 

"Yes, and they're really good this year." 

"But this time Harry won't be so centered on Ravenclaw's seeker." Ron said. 

"He better not be," Hermione said with a glance towards Stephen Cornfoot, Ravenclaw's new seeker. 

"No, but I will have a lovely lady in the stands to distract me." 

"We both will," Ron said with a cheeky grin at Hermione. 

Hermione laughed at the boy's obvious attempts to be charming, when they only came across as silly. 

"They think they can butter us up so when they _do_ look at other girls we won't get so upset!" she said. 

"I know," Ginny laughed. 

Harry chuckled good-naturedly and stood-up. The rest of the Gryffindor team followed suit and soon the table was void of Quidditch players. 

Ginny and Hermione bid Ron and Harry goodbye. 

"Ginny," Hermione said leaning across the table to whisper, "care to go the hospital wing? I need to get that potion from Madame Pomfrey. I swear that potion is great, but it makes it so easy to completely forget it's that time of month. I got a nasty little surprise in Transfiguration; I had to practically beg McGonagall to let me go the loo. It was horrible, I felt like a first year. How about you Ginny? Why don't you get some and save yourself the trip?" 

Ginny fought to keep her face calm. When was the last time she had taken her potion? She knew for sure it wasn't at school, but there had been weeks in the Malfoy Manor that had been a complete blur. Could she have started and drunken a potion that she had no recollection of? There were times when she was simply delirious with loneliness and Zally was a prompt little elf. She could have cleaned up Ginny and her robes without her having any memory of it. Or perhaps it was when she had just gotten home, the week before school. Mum couldn't have easily have given her the potion without her remembering. It was so fast and easy, and so much a part of her life that any recollection of drinking the potion could have simply slipped her mind. 

"Ginny?" Hermione said, "Are you okay?" 

"What? Huh?" she said snapping back to reality to find Hermione giving her a queer look. "Yes, yeah, I'm fine. I was just trying to remember when I'd need mine, but I took it before I came to Hogwarts." 

"Okay," Hermione said slowly. 

"But you're right. I'll just grab some because I'll be starting soon anyways." 

"Great, let's go." The pair stood and Ginny's mind resumed working out when the last time she had taken her potion was. She felt sick when the memory came to her. 

_"Mum!" She had called desperately running down the stairs. She needed her potion and she needed it now, "Mum!" she called once again only to be overridden by Ron calling, "Mum, Harry's owled me back. He's coming to stay with us in a week!" _

_"Mu-um!" she yelled again. _

_"That's good," Molly had replied to Ron. _

_"He said he's sorry but his uncle won't let us come by floo again." _

_"Mum!" she had yelled again. _

_"That's okay, we'll take a Ministry car. I don't think the Ministry would have it any other way for Harry Potter." _

_"MUM!" she yelled. _

_"What?!" Molly had finally yelled turning around to face her. _

_"I need my potion," she said quietly. It wasn't something one yelled about in a house full of brothers._

_"Oh!" Molly had said, "I'm sorry dear. I completely forgot. Here you go deary," she said taking a vial down from the cabinet. "Drink up." Ginny had plugged her nose, for the potion had a vile taste, and down the contents in one chug. That very night Lucius had kidnapped her. _

_'So,' she thought, quickly doing the math in her head,_ 'that would mean I would have needed my potion during my last week at the Malfoys, during which I was completely and utterly aware of my surroundings, and again about two weeks ago.'_ She felt her stomach drop. '_It can't be!' _she told herself in a panic, but it all made sense: the sickness, the odd cravings and her appetite being all over the place. _'I'm pregnant,'_ she said to herself, _'I've got part of Malfoy inside me and I will do everything in my power to rid myself of it.'__

A/N: Okay, don't yell at me because Ginny wants to get rid of the baby. I AM A PRO-LIFER to boot!! However, as an author I have very concrete reasons for why each person is acting the way they do. Most of the reasons are obvious in my writing but if you are still curious feel free to e-mail me (celestialangelxv@hotmail.com) and I'll tell you EXACTLY why each character feels the way they do. I'm not trying to set up "good characters" and "bad characters" by their stance on abortion. If you'd like an e-mail update, review and leave your e-mail address in the review. 


	5. Chapter Five

            Ginny closed her eyes and tried to think.  It had been a week since she had realized that she was pregnant; a week full of sickness and headaches, only half of which were caused directly by her pregnancy.  She had thought she was done with Draco, that she would never had to see him again.  It was NOT a welcomed surprise that part of Malfoy was actually _living_ in her.  Harry had been completely mystified when he showed up after Quidditch practice and given Ginny a hug and Ginny had dissolved into tears, only telling him that some memories of Malfoy were getting to her.  He had been wonderfully supportive of her.  When she wasn't in Harry's embrace this last week, she was in the library, looking up anything that could cause someone to miscarry.  She knew she had heard something about a potion with that kind of side effect somewhere, even recently, but _where_ was it?

            '_Blasted Malfoy!'_ she thought for what must have been the 100th time that day, _'How could he not know that I would get pregnant if I didn't have birth control potion in me?  Men can take some too! Why didn't he have any to prevent me from getting pregnant?  Didn't anyone ever tell him about the birds and the bees?'_  Yet no matter how much she rehashed the situation and how things could have gone differently, one truth remained.  She was pregnant, with Malfoy's baby, and she desperately needed a way to get rid of it.

            "You're here again?" Hermione said as she sat down next to Ginny with a particularly heavy volume called, Not so Fantastic Beast and Where They Live so You Can Avoid Them _By: Missy Limbs._

            "Yes," Ginny said with a sigh.  She didn't see why Hermione was asking.  It was Sunday night so it wasn't odd at all that the Library was practically packed with students who were scrambling to finish essays that were due Monday morning.  ****

            "Isn't that charms essay you were working on due soon?"

            "Er—yes," Ginny said.  At first**,** she had been searching through the charms section, thinking that there might be a charm to make her miscarry, but after searching through most of the books in the charms section**,** she had moved onto potions.  "I have a potions essay due in a few weeks now that I thought I'd get a head start on."

            "That's a wonderful idea Ginny," Hermione said before returning to her book.

            Ginny didn't ever think she could be so sick of books but she was coming close.  After searching for a week to no avail**,** she was beginning to wonder if there was anything that could help her.  '_There has to be a potion,'_ she told herself, _'There just has to be!'_  

            "Arg, I'm going to look for another text," Ginny announced standing and leaving her bag on the table.

"Uh huh," Hermione said without looking up.

~

            Draco walked into the library.  He wasn't overly fond of reading but he had a major transfiguration assignment due the next day and he needed the resources and silence the Library provided.  He sighed impatiently.  Apparently, he wasn't the only one who had the idea to study for Monday classes.  The library was packed; there wasn't an empty table left, most had three or more students at them.  The only table with only one person at it was the one where Granger was, and yes, those were Ginny Weasley's things sitting by her.  He smirked in a truly Malfoy fashion; if Ginny went running to her brothers he could feign innocence. The students were encouraged to ask the prefects for help on their homework.  If he sat down and asked Granger for help and Ginny just _happened_ to be sitting on the same table, he could hardly be blamed for their encounter.

~

            "Go away Malfoy," Hermione said when she saw him approach.

            "I just want help on my homework.  Besides, all the tables are full.  I've a right to sit here if I like."

            "Go away."

            Draco pretended not to hear her when he sat down.

            "What, are you deaf and stupid?  I said go away!"

            "No, you have to help me Ms. Head Girl."  Hermione couldn't recall a time yet when she had hated being Head Girl, but she did now.  Scowling, she sat down and motioned for Draco to move to sit next to her and kiddy-corner from the seat where Ginny would soon be sitting.

~

            She had grabbed every book she got her hand on that looked like it might have a few dark potions to help her get rid of Malfoy's brat.  Her books were piled higher than her head, so she trusted herself to remember that her table was just past the third bookshelf.  She set her books down with a groan and plopped down in her chair.

            "Why hello Miss. Weasley.  Has that Confundus Charm worn off yet?"  Ginny heard a cold voice draw. 

            '_NO!'_ she thought. '_NO NO NO NO NO!'_

            "A Confundus Charm that never existed can't very well wear off," Ginny replied curtly.

            "I see it hasn't," Draco replied.

            Ginny didn't feel like being chased away from her table so she sat down and began flipping through the first heavy volume of potion books, turning each crisp page pointedly, and tried to ignore Draco's voice talking to Hermione while she replied in as few words as possible.  She was just through the second book and beginning to seriously worry about the lack of a potion to help her when she felt what was distinctly a foot running up her leg and under her robes, and she had a good idea whose foot that was.  With a start, she stood and grabbed her bag to go, disrupting the books on the table, which caused Hermione's inkbottle to spill.

            "Are you okay Ginny?"  Hermione asked distractedly as she waved her wand over the ink stains that disappeared immediately.

            "I—er—just remembered, me and Harry were supposed to uh—go on a walk."

            "Are you quite sure you're okay?" Draco asked, placing a hand on her arm in mock concern.

            "Yes!" Ginny said, yanking her arm back like Draco's touch had set her skin afire.  She turned to flee as quickly as possible, but her bag got stuck on one of the chairs and broke, spilling quills, books, ink bottles, and sending a few makeshift scrolls rolling.

            "Oh let me help!" Hermione said and preformed the same spell that she had performed on herself on Ginny's books.

            Ginny bent down and started to gather her books.  A pair of dragon hide boots appeared in front of her and stepped on the scroll Ginny usually took potions notes on.  She went to yank the scroll from under what was unmistakably Draco's foot, but in her attempts**,** the scroll ripped, unrolling partway along the tear.  Something caught Ginny's eye and they widened in joyous shock, _'THE VIR POTION!  Of course!  Snape mentioned it just a bit ago!'  _Ginny thought excitedly.

            "Move your foot Draco!" she said aloud. 

            "Oh I'm sorry Miss Weasley.  I didn't realize I was stepping on something of yours."

            "Just move!" she hissed.  Draco moved his toe up to allow her to fetch the scroll.  She grabbed it, and, ignoring Hermione calling after her, ran all the way back to Gryffindor Tower.

~

Draco smiled watching her go.  Yes, she was with Potter now, but she still remembered him, and if he couldn't have her devotedly back in his arms, then he would have her frightened of him.  At least now, she was still responding to him, and if he was going to be tortured by memories of the games she played, she could very well be tortured by what he was doing now.

~

            "Ginny!" Harry greeted her, jumping up to give her a hug.

            "Hi Harry," Ginny said a little breathless.

            "You okay Gin?" Ron asked.

            "Yes, yes I'm fine," she countered.  She didn't feel like cuddling down on the couches; what she really wanted was to get to her room and read about the potion.  "I'm just tired.  I think I'll go to bed."  She said dashing up the girls' staircase.

"She looked a little too energized to be tired," Harry said in concern when he sat down next to Ron.

Ron just shrugged, "It's Ginny; I wouldn't worry at all.  You know how she is.  She's probably mad at you for something you didn't do and at the same time mad at you for doing that thing she's mad at you for not doing.  It'll blow over."  Harry sat down on the couch.  She had been acting so strange lately.  One moment she was laughing as if there wasn't a care in the world and the next she was sobbing.  Harry shrugged too.  Girls!

Once Ginny was in the confines of her dormitory with the curtains drawn closed around her four-post bed, she unrolled the scroll to look at her notes.  

Vir Potion Key Ingredients: 

_    Frog Spleen_

_    Snails_

    Puppy dog tails 

_    Erumpent Horn_

Side Effects (girls only)  (all Temporary) 

_    Lightheadedness_

_    Temporary loss of judgment_

_   Hair grows a lot/changes colors_

_    Miscarriages (1st trimester)_

"Eeee!" she cried out in joy when she got to the last side effect.  The others were only temporary. Yet she kept reading to find out what book it was in.

Not carried in Hogwarts Library 

"NO!" she cried out in agony and began to cry.  '_Stupid pregnancy making me cry at every bump in the road.  It's not that big of deal,' _her brain argued, '_Bill will help you.  Bill will understand that you don't want to carry around Malfoy's little brat.  Bill will help!  You can use your next Hogsmeade weekend to send him a letter.  That's in only a few weeks, and it won't take him more than a week to brew that potion; you can have the potion in a month's time!'_ she told herself.  But once she glanced again at her notes and saw,'(_1st __trimester)' _she started to feel ill again.  She clapped her hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom.  Bill would never be able to get her the potion in time.   She only had a few weeks until she was into her second trimester. It was while she was bent over the toilet that she realized what her only hope was.  Malfoy.  Draco Malfoy could write to his father and have that potion to her in no time.  She put her head against the cool porcelain and cried.  She hated him.  She hated him more than she hated Voldermort himself.

A/N:  If you'd like to be added to the update notice list, review and leave you e-mail in the review.  This is a new posting of my chapter five because, as my beta pointed out, I somehow managed to upload the uncorrected version.


	6. Chapter Six

                Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table the next morning waiting anxiously for the mail to arrive.  Draco should get her letter today. After crying her eyes out last night, she had snuck out of Gryffindor Tower and up to the owlery with a short note to Draco reading,

_'Meet me in the Greenhouses right after dinner tonight.  Don't be late.  Don't let anyone see you leave the great hall, and DON'T get any ideas.  I'm coming fully armed._

Virginia Weasley 

She had decided to use her full name to show Draco she wasn't 'his little Ginny' anymore, and she never had been.  With more than a little apprehension, she watched as the vast number of owls flew into the great hall.

~

            The school barn owl that landed by his place at the Slytherin table came as quite a surprise to Draco Malfoy.  When he noticed the script on the letter was unarguably girly, he glanced around to make sure that Pansy wasn't looking (she wasn't; he noted. She was talking to one of the Avery twins about fashion), before he opened the letter and read it.  His eyes couldn't believe what he was reading.  Why on earth was Ginny asking her to meet him.  Perhaps she was jealous of him and Pansy together.  Or maybe that noble Gryffindor spirit was getting the better of her and she had finally decided to return the Firebolt she had stolen from him.  He glance up and found Ginny starring at him with unhidden anxiety in her body language.  When he caught her eye, he raised a questionable eyebrow at her, but nodded yes.  She tore her eyes away and focused on her plate once more.  

~

Neither Draco nor Ginny noticed Harry Potter observing there little exchange, his green eyes narrowed in suspicion.  He didn't like this one bit.

~

            The day passed in odd intervals for Ginny.  She was both anticipating and dreading meeting Draco tonight for the obvious reasons.  On one hand, she hadn't had a conversation with Draco for ages and wasn't looking forwards to doing it again, but on the other, she so wanted to know if he would give her the potion or not.  All she wanted was to get rid of his little brat.  That's what it was too, Draco's little brat.  It wasn't a baby; it certainly wasn't a life.  It was Draco's foul little monster feeding off her that was only there because Draco had raped her, and she had done the math; it was conceived during one of the times she had struggled and begged him not to touch him.  Children came from people like her parents; children did not come from rape.  No, this thing is a parasite, and parasites are gotten rid of immediately.

            At the end of dinner that day she told the trio that she had left one of her books in the greenhouses during her Herbology class that afternoon and she wanted to get it before it got dark.

            "I'll go with you!" Harry offered.  He still wasn't comfortable with what went on between his girlfriend and Draco that morning.  Perhaps while scrolling with him to the greenhouses, she would open up and tell him what was going on.

            "No," Ginny said, "that's all right, it's frightfully cold out.  You stay inside the castle and I'll just run to get it."

            "Are you sure Gin?" 

            "Of course I'm sure.  Just save me a chair by the fire, and stay nice and warm so you can warm me up when I get back."

            'Oh all right, bye sweet stuff," he said, using the pet name he had devised for her.  Ron looked like he was going to react but when he saw Ginny giggle and give Harry an innocent kiss on the cheek he let it go.  If Ginny didn't mind, he didn't mind.

            Ginny rushed out of the Great Hall and headed out to the grounds.  It was rather cold outside.  Ginny wasn't a fan of being cold so she pulled her cloak closer to her body, and wished she had accepted Harry's offer that he join her.  It would have been lovely to tell Harry about the baby, but she had a feeling the boy who lived wouldn't understand and would insist that she keep the baby.  How could he understand?  Harry's mother had died to protect him, and if it was Harry's baby, she might die to protect it too, but as it was Malfoy's brat--.  She shuddered and wiped away at the tears that had begun to flow down her cheeks.  She couldn't wait to get rid of this thing and have Malfoy behind her for good.  Once this thing was gone she could just focus on her and Harry, and once Harry defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, they would settled down to a perfect little life in a stone cottage after having the perfect wedding.

            Ginny reached the greenhouses, which were so laden with warming charms that she ceased being cold immediately.  She found the book she had hidden in the corner so that she would come back to the tower with her textbook in hand.

~

            Draco watched Ginny leave, waited five minutes and rose to leave too.

            "Where are you going Draco?" Pansy asked.

            "For a walk."

            "A walk?  It's a bit cold out there.  Would you like me to come with you?"

            "No.  I'm going by myself."

            A-all right," Pansy stuttered, "I'll miss you."

            Draco rolled his eyes.  That girl was so pathetically devoted.

~

            Harry Potter didn't become alarmed about Ginny supposedly retrieving her book from the greenhouses until he saw Draco Malfoy exit the Great Hall early too.

            "Let's go!" Harry said to Ron and Hermione.

            "Yeah," Ron said, "let's."  The trio got up bur Harry rushed ahead of them so that he was out in the entrance hall just in time to see the front doors open and a blond head walk out.

            '_Ginny can handle herself!' _Harry told himself.  '_There are tons of places to go on the grounds!'_ But Harry was still trying to force himself to believe it._ 'You could follow her, and make sure Malfoy isn't up to anything!_  _Just get your cloak.'_ Without so much as another thought he was running up the stairs to retrieve his cloak. 

~

            Draco clamped his teeth together to keep them from chattering in the cold.  He saw Ginny in the green house, her red hair clearly visible in the flickering torchlight.  The sight caused him to walk a little faster.  When he entered she turned to face him and he couldn't help but be taken aback by her scowl.

            "Why did you ask me here Ginny?" Draco asked.

            "I'm pregnant," she said without ceremony.  Draco's mouth dropped.  So she asked him here just to rub it in that her and Potter were sleeping together?!

            "Well I hope you and Harry have a nice little red-haired, green eyed brat, and for your sake I hope scareface's trademark disfigurement isn't hereditary."

            "Not with Harry's baby, moron.  Harry and I haven't been together like that yet.  I wish it was Harry's but I'm not that blessed.  It your little brat, and the only reason I'm even telling you is because I need you to write home to your daddy and get a potion that can help me get rid of it."

            "You're getting rid of it?" Draco asked.

            "Oh like you care!"

            "I don't," Draco said quickly.  "I'm just surprised that you don't either."

            "Why would I want part of _you_ living inside of me?"

            "That's right.  It _is_ part mine isn't it?  What if I don't want rid of it?  What's your other option besides going to me?"

            "You gave up any rights to any baby when you raped me.  This is entirely my choice!"

            "Don't get so upset.  I'll get you that potion.  What's the name again?"

            "The Vir Potion.  It has lots of side effects, but it's not illegal.  That's the only potion I know of."

            "I'll write home about it."

            "Good.  Now I'm leaving."

            "Wait!" Draco called.  She couldn't leave yet!

            "What?" she said snapping her head back around to look at him.

            "Why are you trusting me?"

            "Because you're the only option I have," she snapped. "Besides, I don't care what you feed me.  I'd rather be dead and poisoned than have anything to do with you."

            "Does Potter know about my child?" 

            "No, and he's not finding out; no one is.  There will be three people who know about this problem: you, your father, and me.  If I could keep it to only me I would."

            "I can't believe you're not going all motherly on me.  You, out of all people!"

            "I don't want anything of _yours_ Malfoy.  Goodbye!" she said with finality and left the greenhouse.

            Draco Malfoy watched Ginny's retreating back.  With a sigh he sat down on one of the benches.  She was carrying his child.  The thing was really going to be a nuisance and it really _was_ for the best that it was just taken care of, but all the same, _his child_.  He wondered during which time it had been conceived.  He shook himself out of his stupor.  He had a letter to write to his father.

~

            Harry Potter was just running down the stairs.

            '_She's just going to get a book in the Greenhouse.  Malfoy won't run into her.  In fact this has nothing to do with Malfoy.  She's your girlfriend and Malfoy knows he's got something coming if he lays a finger on her,'_ he told himself.  He was just running around a corner, ready to jump to Ginny's defense in case Draco had done anything to her, when he ran smack into Ginny.

            "Harry," she said, "Harry is that you?"

            "Ginny!" Harry said wiping off the cloak, "I saw Malfoy leaving right after you.  I thought he might be following you!  Are you okay?"

            "I'm, I'm fine Harry.  You just gave me quite a scare, running around corners like that!"

            "Sorry Ginny.  I'm just so glad you're okay."

            "I'm fine Harry," Ginny laughed, "let's just go back to the common room."

            "Good idea." Harry said and the couple headed back to Gryffindor tower.

Later that night, around the time Ginny was drifting off into a _very_ uneasy rest, she heard the door to her dormitory creak open.

            "Who's there?" she asked grabbing her wand off her bedside table and trying to keep the fear out of her voice.  

            "Ginny?  Is that you?" she heard a familiar voice ask.

            "Harry? What are you doing here?" she asked sticking her head out of her curtains.

            "My scar hurt," he informed her and sat down on the bed, "I had a dream where Voldermort killed everyone I knew: Ron, Hermione, Professor McGonagall, you…" he trailed off.

            "Shouldn't you go to Madam Pomfrey, or Dumbledore?"

            "I looked at the map," Harry said. "They're uh, well they're in Madam Pomfrey's sleeping quarters--er—together…" Harry said awkwardly.

            Ginny shuddered at the thought.

            "Well are you okay?  Is there something I can do?"

            Harry hesitated; it wasn't in his nature to ask for help, but something about Ginny made him just want to be with her and trust her completely.

            "Do you think I could sleep in here?" he asked.  "It's just so comforting to have you near by," he added quickly.

            "Ummm—" Ginny hesitated.

            "I'll be gone before morning and I can wear the cloak so no one knows I'm here."

                "Uh sure," Ginny said finally and pulled the curtains back.

            "Thanks!" Harry said, and even in the dark Ginny could see his green eyes brighten.  Harry crawled up next to her and pulled her body close.  "Mmmm," he said burrowing his nose in her red tresses.

            Ginny tried not to stiffen, and she hated herself for it.  Lying here in Harry's arms with a million secrets to keep from him felt way to close to lying in bed with Malfoy back in August.  She never wanted to compare Harry to Malfoy.

            In the course of the next week Harry kept a close eye on Draco Malfoy and Ginny.  Even though Ginny had assured him that she had only passed Malfoy that night and that he probably hadn't even seen her, he still thought something was up.  It also was unnerving that everyday at breakfast the next week Ginny looked anxiously at Draco when the mail came.

~

            Draco was keeping a close eye on Ginny too.  Somehow, the notion that she was carrying his child made him feel a surge or protection towards her, even though he knew that in two weeks time she would be rid of it.  For the time being he felt ready to pounce every time he saw Harry put his arm around her.

            He received a reply from his father three days after he wrote.

_Dear Draco,_

_            I'm glad life finds you well.  Yes, in answer to you inquiry, I will still suggest to the Dark Lord that you be initiated.  Although I still hold that you were very silly in some of your decision regarding the girl, other decision you made were worthwhile and show that you will be very useful to our cause.  I'm sure Our Lord will share my point of view._

_            Ah yes, about the girl.  I assumed the child would have a proper dose of birth control potion in her.  It was very silly of her not to ask for some when she realized your intentions regarding her.  It was, however, smart of her to ask you to help her.  I would prefer not to have unauthorized heirs running around in the Wizarding World.  The potion will not be difficult to brew but it does take some time.  I had it started immediately so you should be receiving it within a fortnight's time of when you receive this letter.  If my calculations are correct, Miss. Weasley is only a few weeks from being in her second trimester.  Get the potion to the girl immediately.  The side effects last only a few hours.  Be a gentlemen and wait with her until they wear off, then take her to the hospital wing saying you found her in the hallway bleeding.  I must be going Draco.  The next time I write I will send the girl's potion._

_Regards,_

_Father_

Draco smiled after reading the letter.  After much deliberation he had decided to ask his father if he would still be initiated.  He had not expected such an enthusiastic yes.  After feeling appropriately pleased for some time, he looked up to see Ginny staring intently at him.  He mouthed a very clear, 'later,' to her and went back to eating.

~

            Ginny's eyes too returned to her plate.

            Draco kept his promise; that afternoon, he slipped out of potions a half-minute early to catch Ginny walking down to the dungeons.  For once, he was glad she had the highly annoying habit of waiting for Harry outside of potions class.

            "Here," he said passing her the bottom half of the letter.  Just then the bell rang and the hall was flooded with students, including infamous trio.  Draco walked off as if he hadn't so much as stopped and Ginny stuffed the letter in her pocket to read later.

            "Hey Harry!" she said a slung her arms around his neck, pecking him on the lips.

            "Hey, what was that about?"

            "What was what about?"

            "Malfoy, you were talking to him."

            "Oh, I uh—saw that someone had tripped and it looked like he had a bad fall.  I stopped to ask if he was okay before I knew who it was."

            "Oh," was all Harry said.

            "You know Harry, you don't have to worry about me.  I can hold off Malfoy," Ginny said moving away from him.  The students continued to stream around them. "It's only the memories that bother me."

            "I know.  I'm just don't trust Malfoy at all.  I don't think it was just lust."

            "Well I don't either.  He was attached to me, but the other me, the one I pretended to be."

            "What'd you pretend to be?"

            "Devoted.  I would act like he was the world and the sun to me but it was all just an act."

            "You're not pretending with _me_ are you?"  Harry asked. 

            "Harry," Ginny said horrified, "of course I'm not pretending with you."

            "I don't know Gin.  You've been acting so strange lately.  I don't know what to think."

            "I've had so many memories from the manor lately. I want just Draco out of my life forever."

            "But he is Ginny; it's only memories, and you're can't let memories get to you.  Trust me; I know."

            "I—" Ginny said her face faltering, '_you have no idea_,' she thought, '_he's more in my life now than in August,'  _"I uh—I just don't feel like he's out of my life.

            "Ginny," Harry said suddenly accusingly, "is there something you're not telling me?"

            "Harry Potter, I don't like your tone!" she said, immediately on the defense.

"Are you avoiding the question?" he said, backing up from her in the now deserted corridor.

"Of course I'm not avoiding the question!"

"Then answer it!  Are you hiding something from me or not?"

"I'm going through a hard time with Malfoy and all you can do is think that I'm keeping things from you.  Well yes, I _am_ keeping things from you.  I'm not telling you what it felt like to be raped repeatedly.  I'm not telling you how I wake up and feel like screaming sometimes because I'm certain my bed curtains are pink, and I'm back I'm the Malfoy Manor.  You're right!  I _haven't_ told you how when you woke up with your scar hurting and you came to find me and crawl into my bed it made me want to scream because it was _just like_ being back at the Manor, but I put up with it because you're you, and you're _not_ Malfoy." Ginny yelled.

"Just like being back at the Manor?" Harry yelled.  "Thank you for comparing me to a mad rapist and Death Eater."

"Well you're being as protective as him.  I feel like I can't go anywhere without your approval!"

"Maybe that's because you ACT like you can't go anywhere without me!"

"You know I've been going through a hard time."

"That you won't tell me about!"

"Because I don't want relive it all!"

"Well you're obviously still dreaming about it or something.  Perhaps you liked being his little whore and you're trying to seduce me too by acting all helpless."

"How DARE you even suggest that!"  Ginny yelled.

"Well from everything I've seen it's the truth."

"I don't need this!" Ginny yelled turning towards the exit of the dungeons, "I'm leaving!"

"Fine go!" Harry yelled. He immediately began to regret his words, and slunk down against the wall to the sound of Ginny's sobs vibrating off the stone walls.  He _knew_ Ginny hated Draco; he _knew_ wasn't pretending with him, and he _knew_ it was horrible for him to say those things to her. But he also _knew_ that she was hiding something from him. Uh, he was just so stressed lately.  Every time a head of house and Dumbledore would receive a letter at the same time everyone _knew_ that someone else's parents had been attacked.  A quiet dread feel over the table when it was their head of house that stood with Dumbledore, and once the unlucky student had been notified the other pupils felt a mixture of relief that it wasn't them, immediately followed by guilt over their rejoicing over another students loss.  And Harry _knew_ it was all up to him to stop it, and he _knew_ that everyone else thought so too.  He hated _knowing_ all this.  He desperately wished that he could be just like Ron, not a care in the world, or at least not the weight of the world resting on his shoulders.  Ginny had become a small beacon of hope and sanity in his life, but in the last week or so she had been acting so strangely.  He _knew_ there was something going on and he _knew_ Malfoy had something to do with it.  He just wished he _knew_ what.  He couldn't take it anymore, not without at least the little bit of sanity Ginny offered.  And so Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world, put his head in his hands, let himself go, and did something he hadn't done since he was very little; he cried.

~

Ginny stormed away from Harry in a very upset state.  She didn't feel like sitting at the Gryffindor table and fending off question about where The Boy Wonder was, so she held her sobs in and rushed up through the entrance hall until she found an empty classroom and hurried inside.  She couldn't believe Harry had said those things to her.  Hell, she couldn't believe he could even think that, let alone voice it.  He knew she hated Malfoy.  Oh!  Why was this happening to her?  Why did she have to deal with the little parasite that Malfoy had forced into her?  It simply wasn't fair.  She had just started to forget about Malfoy all together then she had to realize that Malfoy was bothering her for a few more weeks.  And now Harry was accusing her of actually liking Malfoy.  Being with Harry was so nice; he had become a nice little break from school and the dread of Voldermort attacks.  When she was sitting there with Harry, it was like the rest of the world didn't exist.  Now, Harry was the one causing the problems.  She curled up into a ball and sobbed, just sobbed until she felt she had no tears left to cry.

A/N: If you'd like to be added to the update list, please leave your e-mail address in the review.  


	7. Chapter Seven

            It took Harry more than a few hours to build up enough courage to return to the common room.  He had a feeling that Ginny had already told Ron what was going on, and he didn't feel like facing Ron's bad temper. Ron had promised Harry that if he did anything 'Malfoy like' to Ginny, Harry would be on the short side of his temper, and Harry didn't much fancy being on the receiving end of a nasty hex from Ron.  He really couldn't say he'd blame Ron for being upset with him; if he had a little sister who'd just got back from being kidnapped, he'd probably be very protective of her too.  It was thinking about what he'd do to him if he were in Ron's shoes that kept him in that empty classroom until ten O'clock.  Nevertheless, he eventually realized that even if he did manage to avoid the common room for a bit, he would still have to go to classes, all of which included Ron.  So**,** ten o'clock found Harry sneaking through the common room, praying he wouldn't meet Ron.

           He was just turning up the boy's staircase, thinking he might avoid Ron until morning and praising the gods for answering his prayers, when he heard Ron's voice calling out, "Hey!" Cursing his luck, Harry turned to face him. Even though he felt as if he deserved whatever hex Ron could fire at him, he still clutched his wand in case Ron decided on a particularly nasty one; however, much to Harry's surprise, Ron didn't try to curse him at all. 

           "Hey," he repeated, "where have you been, and what's wrong with Ginny?"

            "G-ginny?" he repeated.  Was he hearing this right?  Ron didn't know?  Ginny hadn't told him?

            "Yes Ginny, my little sister, your girlfriend, bright red hair—ring any bells?"

            "Er-yeah," Harry said.

            "Well?" Ron prompted.

            "Well what?"

            "Well what happened?  Why was she in here crying?"

            "Crying?"

            "Yes crying!  Stop that?"

            "Stop what?" 

            "REPEATING EVERYTHING I'M SAYING!" 

            "Oh."

            "So what'd you say to her? She only stayed down here long enough to tell me that you didn't physically hurt her and that I'm not allowed to curse you."  Harry sighed, he supposed it was inevitable really; sooner or later**,** he had to tell Ron what he had said, so it might as well be now.  There was really no reason to lie at this point.  And so, Harry led Ron to an empty table and started telling him about the row he and Ginny had.  Ron was less than pleased, to say the least, but all in all**,** he agreed with him that something was up with Ginny.

~

            Hermione and Ginny were having a similar situation up in the sixth-year girls' dormitory.

            "Ginny what's wrong?" Hermione asked once again.  They were crouched in Ginny's four-post bed with the curtains drawn around them.

            "I can't believe he said that!" Ginny hiccupped.  Hermione sighed.  So far, she could only get Ginny to say two things, 'I hate him,' and, 'I can't believe he said that!' However, Hermione knew that Ginny didn't really hate Harry, or else she wouldn't have made Ron promise not to curse him.

            "Gin, what did he say that was so bad?" Hermione pressed again.

            "H-he accused me of trying to sed-seduce him because I missed Malfoy."

            Hermione was appalled "Why would he say that!?!"

            "He thought he saw me talking to Malfoy."

            "Did he see you?"

            "HERMIONE!" Ginny yelled,  "Of course not!"

            "Sorry sorry, I thought that Malfoy might have just stopped you in the corridor or something."

            "Well he d-didn't!  And Harry said th-that I was d-dr-dreaming about Malfoy, and I have been, but they were night-nightmares!"

            "Shhh," Hermione cooed, "I'm sure Harry didn't mean it. He's having bad dreams too."

            "I know, and I don't w-want to fight, but he h-hurt me so much!"

            "Shhh.  I know, I know."

~

            Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table, away from the trio, holding back tears.  Quickly, she stole a glance down at Harry; he looked the same as he had for the last week.  '_Fine, just bloody fine,'_ she thought, stabbing her chicken with her fork. _'How dare he look as if nothing's wrong?'  _But Ginny didn't know that Harry was feeling just as miserable.  He had spent the last week watching Ginny with a pain in his heart.  He knew what he had said was wrong and wanted to apologize, but he wasn't ready to admit that there wasn't something going on with Malfoy.  He stole a fugitive glance down the table to see Ginny sitting alone and pretending her chicken was himself, or at least that's what he was assuming by the way she was repeatedly stabbing it.

            '_What's more,' _Ginny thought as she continued to mutilate her chicken, '_he's acting as if we never even existed.  He's still being all pleasant like.'_

            Harry had never been more unhappy.  He tried his best not to make things awkward between them, saying hello in the common room and being genuinely nice to her.

            '_And stupid Malfoy,' Ginny's_ internal dialogue continued, '_When is that potion going to get here?  It's been a week!  Well if he doesn't get me that potion in time, it's his loss anyways.  The whole world will know that he did rape me and he'll probably end up in Azkaban.'_  Although Ginny had entertained this thought countless of times during last week, she knew that she wasn't going to act on it.  Even seeing Draco and Lucius in jail wasn't worth having to have part of Malfoy actually growing in her for another six months, and then having to _raise_ it.  She shuddered; the thing would probably come out with horns and a pitchfork, _if_ she even carried it that long.

            Draco Malfoy sat across the great hall staring at Ginny sitting alone, but he couldn't quite suppress the smile on his face.  Scarface and Ginny had obviously gotten into a fight, and he was pretty sure that he had something to do with it**, **because Potter had been eyeing him wearily all week.  Ginny finally rose from his place and pointedly walked around the table to avoid Potter.  Draco followed; he was still feeling oddly protective of her. Ginny left the great hall and, much to his surprise, headed down towards the dungeons.  Draco, being highly familiar with the dungeon liar of the castle, trailed her with ease by a good fifty paces.

            Ginny had seen Malfoy follow her out of the great hall.  She was actually planning on heading up to the owlery to send him an owl, but since she had the chance to avoid waiting, she might as well take it. The potion was taking far too long to arrive, and she wasn't in the mood for waiting. She turned a dungeon corner and stopped, wand drawn, ready for Malfoy to turn the corner as well.  

            Malfoy briskly turned the bend, only to be ambushed and jostled into a spare room.

            "What is the meaning of this?" he asked indignantly, only to see that Ginny had her wand pointed right at him.  "Sheesh Weasley," he said.

            "Where is the potion?"

            "The potion will be here soon, you read my father's letter.  He said it would be here before long."  

            "You can't give me anything besides 'before long?" Ginny said in disbelief. "I don't think you don't understand.  I need that potion now!"

            "Well it will get here when it gets here." Malfoy informed her haughtily.  "Now if you're quite done**,** I have places to be," he paused to give her one of his trademark smirks. "Unless of course, you want to be locked in a room with me again."

            "Oh shut up!"  Ginny yelled, "It's bad enough I have Harry on my case.  I DON'T NEED YOU ON IT TOO!"

            "What?  What does Potter have to do with anything?  That little fight you two are having has something to do with me, doesn't it?  I knew it!"

            "It does not.  Go away."

            "You're the one who shoved me into the room.  That's what Potter's on about isn't it?  He thinks you want me again."

            "He does not!" Ginny said crossly.

            "You're lying!  I can tell."

            "Draco Malfoy, you of all people have showed what a poor judge you are of when I'm lying." 

            Draco scowled in response to her comment, "you'll shut up if you know what's good for you.  I may decide not to give you that potion after all."

            "You wouldn't dare!"  Ginny said in a panic, but of course, she knew he would, this was _Draco Malfoy_ after all.  She thought fast there had to be a way to convince him to give her the potion.

            Draco smiled evilly.

            "Why not?  If I decided not to give you the potion it has no effect on me.  Except, of course, for the fact that you will be forever linked to me."

            "Everyone would know I was telling the truth about where I was this August then, wouldn't they?  You and your father would probably end up in Azkaban.  There are ways of proving the baby is yours.  And your mother would go with you because you she knew I was there and did nothing to stop you.  Then your Manor and all the property would be turned over to the closest living relative.  Which, at that time, would be the child you're forcing me to keep," she pointed at her stomach, "then that unwanted brat would move in with its mother, and its mother's family.  So the end result of you not giving me that potion is your whole family's demise and it'd be all you fault.  Do you want that?"

            Throughout Ginny's tirade, Draco had fought to keep his face calm.  The events that she was describing were possible, unlikely, but possible all the same, and possible was too close for comfort. 

            "Calm down Weasley, I was just trying to get you upset and it worked.  I'll have the potion soon, and I'll talk to you then.  Unless, that is, you feel the need to shove me into abandoned rooms again."  Draco said.

            "Shut up Malfoy." Ginny spat.

            "See you later Weasley."  Draco said and left.

            Ginny waited until Malfoy's footsteps had died away completely before she left the room.  Ugh, she couldn't wait until the potion was ready.

~

            Harry sat in the common room feeling horribly dejected.  Ginny, who had disappeared after dinner, had returned and was now sitting alone reading a book.  He watched her in a stupor.  Her hair looked so beautiful tucked behind her ear, and she was biting her lip in concentration.  Right now, there was nothing he wanted more than to sit with her and talk in whispered tones while he ran his fingers through that hair.  But there was that Malfoy thing.  For all he knew, she had met him after dinner. He had, after all, left at the same time she had.  Right now he was trying to force himself to go talk to her.  Hermione had given him a pep talk, assuring him that "Ginny's only really upset because you're acting like Malfoy.  She doesn't need you to be all possessive, and of course there is that simply horrendous comment you made," and when he thought about it, even if there was something going on with Malfoy, not even a part of him thought she might be _actually _cheating on him.  No no, it would be much better if he just went and made up with her now. 

~

            Ginny was sitting alone and pretending to read a book when she felt someone approaching.

             "Hi Ginny," she heard Harry's unmistakable voice say meekly.

            "I'm _not _telling you where I was after dinner Harry," Ginny said curtly, without looking up.  The last thing she felt like was getting into a battle right now.  She was tired, and she just wanted to be left alone.

            "I'm not asking!" Harry said defensively and sighed; he could see this wasn't going to be easy.

            "So why are you here?" she asked, still staring at her book.

            "I wanted to say I'm sorry, for uh, saying, those things, and to tell you that I'd really like to get back together with you, you know, forget we even had a fight."

            "How do you expect me to just forget you said those things?"  Ginny suddenly exploded looking up at Harry.

            "You know I didn't mean them!  I've never even thought them!"  Harry defended in a panic.  He could tell this could turn into a horrible row if he wasn't careful.

            "Well they didn't come from nowhere!  You had to think them to say them!"  Ginny nearly yelled. 

            "Shhh," Harry said looking around and motioning for her to keep the volume of her voice down.  He didn't feel like causing a scene.

            "Don't shh me Harry Potter!" Ginny yelled.  Heads were starting to turn in their direction.  Harry was blushing so much that he felt like a Weasley.

            "Can't we talk about this someplace else?" he whispered, as if to counteract Ginny's yelling.

            "You're the one who wanted to talk about it!  Why should I move?"

            "Then could you not yell?" Harry hissed.

            "I'm not dealing with this!" Ginny yelled and tromped up the girls' staircase.

            Harry, in turn, raced up the boys' staircase.

Ginny slammed the door and plopped down on the bed.

            "AHHHHH!" she let out a scream.  Why had she reacted that way?  She wanted to make up with Harry, and Harry was obviously trying to apologize.  Ugh, she hated her emotions being all over the place.  Even if they did get back together**,** she wasn't going to tell him about her little problem until after she had gotten rid of it, and then he would probably break up with her for lying to him and getting rid of the baby.  She threw herself down and started to sob, only to be interrupted by an invisible hand on her back.

            "Ginny I'm sorry!" Harry's disembodied voice was saying.

            "T—take off th-the clo-o-oak," Ginny sobbed.

            Harry obeyed and Ginny turned her head to look into his eyes.

            "Please Ginny, just hear me out."  Harry pleaded quietly.

            Ginny nodded and Harry continued.

            "Ginny, I'm sorry I said that.  I was just so upset that you were hiding things from me.  Look, I know there's something going on with Malfoy—"

            "Ha—"

            "But," Harry continued talking over her, "That's okay.  I also know you're not doing anything with him, and that you aren't—err—weren't I guess—cheating on me.  If you need to sort out things with Malfoy, that's fine.  I'm not going to stand in your way.  I was just worried about you—"

            "But I—"

            "Escaped Malfoy already, I know. I had no reason to worry.  I was being overprotective and I'm sorry, and I would very much like to get back together if you would too."

            The only reply Harry received was a fresh wave of sobs.

            "Do-do you real-really m-mean that?" Ginny choked out.

            "Yes!" Harry said.

            "I'd love to get back together!" Ginny sobbed.  Harry was more than a little confused by Ginny's tears.  Wasn't she happy?

            "Umm, Ginny, then, why are you crying?"

            "I al—always cr-cry when I'm-I'm hap-happy.  Remem—member wh-when I got h-home from the Mal-malfoy's.  I cried then-en t-too"

            "Sure," Harry said pretending, but he made a mental note to file 'Random Crying' into his mental file of 'Things About Girls that Make Absolutely No Sense." 

            "Th-thanks for under-der-standing."

            "Aww Gin, I'm sorry you had to go through it at all.  I shouldn't have said that."  Harry said, gently rubbing her back.

            "I know.  H-Harry?"

            "Yes."

            "You-ou care a-about me right?"

            "Of course!"

            "So you wa-want what's b-best for me right?"

            "Yes of course!" Harry replied, but he couldn't help but wonder where Ginny was going with this, "why do you ask?"

            "I'm j-just ma-making s-sure."

            "Okay Gin."  Harry said.  He was just glad they were a couple again.

~

            Draco was once more not paying any particular attention in potion's class.  It irked him that Potter and Ginny were and item once more.  He had seen them together, walking around the grounds and holding hands, obviously basking in the glow of getting their relationship back, and although Potter still watched him sometimes, he never did it when Ginny could see him.  Ginny however, was not around at the moment, and Draco could almost feel Harry Potter's eyes boring a hole through the back of his head.  But he had something over Potter, the potion had arrived this morning and Ginny had clearly seen it.  Hopefully he could ditch out before the bell rang, and find her again so they could arrange a place to meet.  His father had stressed it was imperative that Ginny took the potion as soon as possible**,** because she could be coming dangerously close to her second trimester, seeing as how they didn't know exactly when the baby had been conceived.  Snape had sent them to work making their potions.  And Draco was actually working diligently until a few minutes before the bell rang, when he instructed Pansy to clean up the rest of his station, and slipped out to meet Ginny.  He found her walking briskly down the corridor to meet Harry, _'just like a good little girlfriend would do,' _he thought bitterly.

            "Was that the potion?" she asked earnestly when she saw him.

            "Yes.  Meet me in the History of Magic room tonight about an hour after dinner."

            "Fine."

"See you tonight Weasley."  Draco said and departed.

"Goodbye," Ginny said decisively.  And without another word Ginny had whisked past Draco and was walking towards the potion's dungeon to wait for Harry.

~

            Harry was just drifting off to sleep for a nice easy afternoon nap in History of Magic class, the soothing sound of Hermione's quill scratching furiously on the desk next to him, was helping to lull him into a heavenly rest.  Professor Binns's dreadful monotone voice slipped away until Harry was floating blissfully along in dreamland.

            _He was sitting at the Burrow with everyone around him, and for some odd reason, all his Hogwart's professors were there.  Ginny was sitting on his lap and Ron and Hermione were in a similar position. _

_            "Mmm, I love you Harry," Ginny was saying as she ran her fingers through his hair, trying to straighten out the numerous cowlicks._

_            "I love you too Gin," he replied, kissing her other fingers lightly._

_            Suddenly the house was filled with an eruption of green light, screams, and a horrible, inhuman laughter Ginny's fingers fell cold from him lips. _

_            "You killed her!" the Weasleys were screaming.  "You killed our baby girl."_

_            "No!" he tried to protest, "I didn't.  It was Voldermort.  It's not my fault!"_

_            "It is your fault!" They were all screaming. Once again, the house was filled with the same sights and sounds and an eerie silence followed.  And it hit him, they were all dead, and it was his entire fault.   _

            _"Noooooooooooo" he screamed and a blinding pain shot through his forehead._

            "Harry!  Harry wake up!" Hermione was saying earnestly.

            "Ah, scar," he mumbled and he came back to History of Magic.  Harry's eyes shot open and he sat up.  Much to his relief, he saw Ron and Hermione sitting next to him, fully alive, but looking dreadfully worried.  Proffesor Binns was literally hovering above them looking concerned.

            "Mr. Weasley, Miss. Granger, take Mr. Potter up the hospital wing," he commanded.  Ron and Hermione each took one of Harry's arms and led-a still confused-Harry to the hospital wing, leaving their book bags behind. 

~

            Ginny was having a horrible time paying attention that afternoon.  The only thing that was running through her mind was that in just a few hours she would be rid of Draco Malfoy forever.  Just one slug of a potion and it would all be gone.  She rushed through dinner and left before the trio even came down to the great hall.  In no time, she was heading up to the History of Magic classroom.

~

            Draco saw Ginny leave and figured he might as well follow her.  Potter didn't seem to be around anywhere to stop him.  It would be easier if they could down the potion as early as possible.

~

            The trio left the confines of the hospital talking in whispers.  They had spent the last two hours being assured by their professors that there was nothing to worry about but none of them really believed the adults.  Harry in particular felt as if he needed to do something.  In fact, maybe it would be better if he and Ginny kept their relationship a secret.  They had just gotten back together and if they had a large public fight and broke up, people would probably believe it.  Then she might be at less of a risk.  Of course, she was still at a considerable risk, being the younger sister of his best friend, and since Malfoy had his sights set on her, _and _she had been processed by Tom, but if he could just take one risk factor off her, it might increase her survival chances.  He hated thinking things like that but desperate times called for desperate measures, and if he had to have a few twisted thoughts to save people, then he would have a few twisted thoughts.  Nevertheless, he shook himself and tried to concentrate on what Hermione and Ron were discussing.

"Uh hey," he interjected as they turned up a staircase to go to Gryffindor Tower, "don't you think we should go get our stuff in the History of Magic classroom?" both Ron and Hermione agreed and they turned to get their stuff. 

~

            Ginny sat in the History of Magic classroom waiting for Draco.  All she wanted was that potion.  Her eyes lit up when the door started to creek open to reveal Draco Malfoy "Did you bring it?"  Ginny asked as soon as he had stepped in the room.

            "Of course I brought it." Draco said and produced a vial of acid green potion.   She was so close to getting rid of Malfoy forever!  Ginny grabbed the bottle and brought it to her lips, relief flowing through her entire being.

            "Be careful, that has some really nasty—"

            "Expelliarmus!" Someone yelled at the same time someone else yelled, "Petrificus totalus," As Ginny flew backwards she saw Harry's hand reach out to grab the potion and Draco fall to the ground, stiff as a board.

            "Harry what are you doing?" Ginny yelled getting up.  "Give me that back!"

            She watched, as if in slow motion, as Harry gave a yell and threw the potion towards the wall with all his might.  Ginny's face fell as she watched any hope she had of getting rid of the baby slam against the wall.  The vial shattered into a thousand tiny pieces and acid green potion began to streak down the castle walls. _'But he can't have just done that,'_ Ginny thought, _'There isn't enough time to get any more potion!  There had to be some other way to get rid of it!  Surely other witches have been in my situation.'_   In a unbelieving daze, she scrambled over to where the potion was streaking down the wall and tried desperately to get as much on her fingers as she could, but when she brought her fingers to her mouth she found mostly dirt.  _'Maybe_,' she thought desperately_, 'I can get enough to hurt it, then if I fly around and work out, I might be able to induce labor and it would be too premature to last.'_

            "Ginny!" Harry yelled interrupting striding over to her and pulling her to her feet, "I should have never have let this happen!  I knew Malfoy was up to no good."  He turned to Malfoy on the floor and yelled, " You'll rot in Azkaban for using the Imperious curse, bastard."

            "W-what are you on about Harry?"  Ginny said in a haze.

            "It's okay Ginny you're under the Imperious!" Harry said, seizing her shoulders and shaking her as if he could shake her out of the alleged curse.  "Malfoy was going to make you drink a potion.  I don't know what it was but it's a good thing we were passing by."

            "Harry, Draco wasn't making me drink that--"

            "Ugh!  Take the curse off her, Malfoy!" Harry interrupted Ginny to yell at Malfoy who was still lying petrified on the floor. Hermione, who had her wand drawn and had obviously put Malfoy in a full body bind, was standing beside him.  Harry only received a muffled reply through Malfoy's frozen lips.

            "I'm not under a curse Harry," Ginny said, coming back to reality to face the challenge in front of her.

            "Yes you—"

            "No Harry," Ginny raised her voice to talk over him, "I'm not.  You're being as bad as Fudge!  I know EXACTLY what I'm doing and why." 

            "Then _why_ would you take a potion that Malfoy is giving to you?"

            "Because I need it.  I-I can't have it in me anymore.  I just can't."

            "What Ginny? You're not making any sense.  What can't you er-have in you anymore?  Are you sure you're not under the Imperious?"

            "Yes yes, Oh Harry don't hate me." Ginny said, finally breaking.  She couldn't lie to him anymore.  It was hopeless, she had to tell someone, she needed Harry to hug her and tell her it would all be okay.  "Harry I'm pregnant.  I got pregnant in August and I wanted to get rid of it.  That potion was my only hope and you threw it against the wall.  Now I think I'm going to have to carry it to term." 

            "P-Pregnant?" Ron, who Ginny hadn't noticed standing in the doorway, said, then turned to Malfoy, "YOU GOT MY SISTER PREGNANT?  AFTER I'M DONE WITH YOU YOU'LL HAVE SO MANY BRUISES AND HEXES ON YOU, YOU WON'T KNOW WHAT HIT YOU."  Ron stormed towards Malfoy and landed a few good kicks on various places on Malfoy's body before Harry and Hermione managed to pull him off.

            "What are you doing?  Let me at him!" Ron yelled struggling against their grip.  "I've been wanting to beat him since August, you're not going to stop me, even if he can't fight back."  Harry and Hermione struggled to hold Ron back before his strength overwhelmed them and he burst towards Malfoy again, except this time, he started punching him. 

            "Stupefy!" Hermione called and Ron fell on the floor next to Malfoy.

            "I think we'll _Ennervate_ him after we get this sorted out and we can explain better." Hermione said.

            "You're pregnant?" Harry said in the calm that followed as he turned towards Ginny who had been silently watching from her spot on the floor, letting her brother beat up the father of her baby.

            "Y-yes," Ginny said starting to cry.

            "Is that what's been going on.  Is that why you've been meeting Malfoy everywhere?  Does it have something to do with that potion?"

            Ginny squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears from coming and nodded.

"Ginny, why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked tenderly and crouching down to sit beside her.  "I could have helped!"

            "You would have helped!  I thought you would be against me getting rid of it!"  And Ginny continued to explain about feeling like he would be against her getting rid of it and just needing to be rid of Malfoy for the rest of her life, and how she didn't want to risk ANYONE finding out and stopping her since the potion only worked in the first trimester and she didn't have any other options. 

"But my first trimester is over in only a few days, there isn't time for any more potion!"  Ginny said miserably.

            "There has to be something." Harry said

            Ginny shook her head, "I read every book in the library; none of them so much as mentioned anything that could make you get rid of a baby."

            "Well muggle women have this sort of problem too," Harry said. "I know they have someway of getting rid of it." 

            "I've never even thought of that!" Ginny said, excited at the thought of being able to get rid of Malfoy's brat again.

            "I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Hermione said from where she was standing. Ginny jumped, she had forgotten Hermione was even in the room.

            "Why!?" Ginny questioned.

            "Abortions are dangerous, especially after the first trimester," she informed them.

           "Oh Hermione! Please, you must know something about muggle methods.  You could read a book and find out how to do a—a--watchamacallit—apointsion."  Ginny said hopefully.

            "Abortion," Hermione corrected, "But muggle medicine is quite different than Magical Medicine.  You need special equipment.  You'd have to go to a special clinic to get an abortion, and even then, they're almost impossible to get after your first trimester."

            "So we could sneak off the ground and floo to London during a Hogsmede weekend.  Please Hermione, please.  I can't tell my parents.  I won't be able to.  I have to do this the muggle way."

            Hermione shook her head.  "It's not that I don't want to help, I _do,_ but I don't think I _can._  We'd need lots of time to figure this all out, and I'd need access to a muggle phone book so I can get some numbers and addresses."  Hermione sighed seeing the desperate look on Ginny's face.  "I don't know what I can do, but I'll write to my parents and explain the fix you're in.  I'm sure they'll help."

            "You will?" Ginny said jumping to her feet and giving Hermione a hug.  "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

~

            Draco Malfoy sat on the floor and watched the scene before him.  He felt a desperate pulling.  For a few brief instants, he thought Ginny might be carrying his child to term.  He couldn't help but feel a bit of a loss that she was in fact getting rid of it again.  He liked having her dependant on him.****

A/N:  I'm sorry it's been so long, but I promise the next update will be within the next ten days!  If you'd like to be added to the update notice list, please leave your email in the review.


	8. Chapter Eight

Hermione sighed, and read over her tenth, and hopefully final draft of the letter to her parents.

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_          How are you?  I miss you terribly and I'm looking forward to being able to spend a few days at home over the Holidays.  My studies are going very well; I'm busy preparing for NEWTs this year, and this first semester has simply flown by!_

_          I wish I could say that I'm writing this as a simple 'hello,' but something has come up that I need your help with.  Do you remember what I've told you about Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister?  How she was kidnapped and raped? _(Hermione had conveniently forgotten to mention that Ginny's kidnapper/rapist went to Hogwarts)_ Well, Ginny's recently found out that she's pregnant with her rapist's child and she obviously doesn't wish to keep it.  She's tried magical means, but for many long and complicated reasons, they didn't work out. Her only option is abortion now and she's asked me to help, as her family is composed of all Wizards and they have little information on the muggle world.   I told her I didn't know what I could do, but I'd write to you to ask for help.  We'd both appreciate any information you could owl our way.  Her name is Ginny Weasley (though I don't know how much help this will be, because she doesn't officially exist in the muggle world), and she's just started her second trimester (the last period she had was sometime in the last week of August)._

_Love,_

_ Hermione_

Finally satisfied, Hermione sealed the letter and went off to borrow Hedwig. 

~

            Harry steeled himself for what he was about to do.  He didn't think Ginny would take it too well, but he had to do this.  It simply wasn't safe for her to be dating him, and although he had no intentions of pushing everyone away, he also longed for Ginny to be safe.  Dating him would not exactly put her in the 'safe' category.

            "Hi Ginny," Harry said brightly.  "Do you think we could go somewhere private?  We need to talk." Ginny looked up at him with eyes full of worry.  She wasn't at her best, but she was aware enough to know that the worlds 'we need to talk,' were never good.  Harry felt a pang of guilt.

            "Umm sure," she said getting up.

            "Good.  Er—why don't you go up to your dorm and I'll come up in my cloak in a few seconds.  Ginny nodded, her face still twisted into a look of deep concern.

            "Is everything okay?" she asked slowly.

            "Yeah," Harry said nervously.  "We just need to talk."  Ginny nodded and started up the girls' staircase.

            It took her about two steps to start panicking.  Harry was going to break up with her; she knew it.  People only said 'we need to talk,' when they were breaking up with you, and Harry had most definitely just said, 'we need to talk.' Oh, she felt sick.  Why was he breaking up with her?  Wasn't she pretty enough?  Was her pregnant figure simply disgusting to him now?  Was she being annoying? Was he sick of her moods?  Ginny hmphed and crossed her arms.  He'd _better not_ be sick of her because she was pregnant.  It's not as if she _wanted_ to get pregnant, and if he was breaking up with her because she was pregnant, he had a lot coming to him.  She had worked herself into quite the frenzy by now. So, she sat on the bed, arms crossed, ready to face the evil Harry Potter and his judgmental ways.

            Harry was silently climbing the girls' staircase.  He really did not want to do this.  Very slowly, he creaked the door of Ginny's dorm open so she could easily blame it on the wind if someone else was in the dorm, but no one else was.  Instead, found Ginny sitting on the bed, looking in his direction as if she positively wanted to murder him.  Harry gulped, took off the cloak and went to sit warily beside her.

            "Ginny," he said gently taking her hand.  She angrily snatched it away.

            "What?" she hissed.

            "Ginny I'm worried about you," Harry said.  Even as he was saying it, he _knew_ it was the wrong thing to say, but still couldn't think of the right thing.  "I'm worried about everyone close to me."  Harry was becoming extremely nervous, Ginny's body was tense; she looked like a tiger ready to pounce, and you did NOT mess with the Weasley temper.  "What I'm trying to say is.  I don't think… Er what I mean is…you see it—"

            "Harry Potter, if you think you're breaking up with me because I'm pregnant with another man's baby, then you 're obviously not the person I thought you were.  I'll have you know that I—"

            "Ginny," Harry said soothingly and rubbing her hand gently, "just hear me out."  Ginny did not look happy about it, but she shut her mouth and glared at him.

            "I don't want to break up with you," Harry said, and he saw Ginny's frail, little body go limp again.  "But I'm still worried about you."  Ginny nodded and looked at him with eyes full of love and devotion.  Harry felt his heart skip a beat.  "I just think that…er… I think it would be best if we didn't tell most of the population that we're together.  I'm so worried about you.  I feel like your whole family is at risk, and I don't want to put you at a greater risk than you already are."

            "What are you trying to say Harry?"  Ginny asked evenly.

            "I just think that it would be the best idea if we let people think we broke up."

            Ginny sat looking at Harry and thinking about what he had just said.  She was surprisingly calm despite her disposition to be overly emotional lately.  Part of it was because she _knew_ what Harry was saying was true.  She was at great risk being with him.  It didn't mean they couldn't be together, and Ginny knew all of the Gryffindors were loyal.  The only change would be that they had to spend their time in the dorms instead of the common room.

            "I don't think that's a bad idea," Ginny said calmly.  Harry nodded and snuggled close to her on the bed.

            "Is it okay if I stay up here then, just to get some homework done?"

            Ginny nodded, thinking how nice it would be to have company without being in the common room that seemed to cause enormous headaches lately. 

            Harry and Ginny had a public break-up in the Great Hall the next morning.  They had agreed to make it appear as if they were breaking up for various reasons, but mostly because Harry didn't really care about Ginny anymore.   They didn't make it messy per say, but Ginny did run off crying.  Watching her go, Harry was glad for the first time since coming to Hogwarts, that news of private affairs, predominantly _his_ private affairs, traveled like wildfire through the halls.  

~

            Helen and Matt Granger were delighted to receive news from their daughter.  They missed her so much when she was away at school.  The instant the snowy owl (Hedwig, Hermione had said she was called), flew up to the window and politely tapped on the glass, the Grangers turned off the telly so they could concentrate 100% on the letter.  It had become a beloved tradition for Helen to read the letter aloud while Matt listened intently.  However, Helen's voice faltered as she started to read the second paragraph.

            "We should help her," Helen said.  She firmly believed that a woman should have the right to choose, and anyone who thought differently was just plain silly.

            "It's really not our place…" Matt interjected.

            "Honestly Matt, the girl's in trouble.  Those Weasleys have done so much for Hermione.  If we needed something magical to help her, we'd want them to look it up for us.  Wouldn't we?"

            "Yes," Matt Granger said. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

            "Too right," Mrs. Granger said and walked past her husband into the computer room to start searching through the Internet. 

~

            Draco Malfoy sat in the Library watching Ginny.  Apparently, although she and Potter had broken up, she was still sitting with the trio. At least the two of them _were _sitting kitty-corner from one another.  Her body was just starting to show signs of pregnancy, but only if one knew what to look for.  He wondered how far along her plans were for getting that muggle treatment.  He sighed and once more looked down at the letter he was writing.  He'd lost count of how many drafts of this letter he'd written to his father.  It had been nearly two weeks since the 'potion incident,' and he'd yet to find the right way to put it into words, though years of writing such letters to his father should have taught him what to say.  What worried him most was that he was less than two months away from being initiated and he didn't really fancy his father telling the Dark Lord that he had messed up again. Though dealing alone with such incidents stuck at this horrific school would be very difficult, he couldn't afford to ask of his father's help once more. No, he had messed up too many times lately. The more he thought about it, the more he tried to convince himself that he didn't really need his father. Ginny was dealing with the abortion.  He'd write her a business like letter to see how everything was going.  There was no need to tell his father if Ginny was going to get rid of the child anyways.  Crumpling up his old letter, he took out a new sheet of parchment and quickly wrote to Ginny.__

_Virginia,_

_            I'm writing to find out how your plans on the abortion are going.  Do you think they will go through?_

_Draco_

As much as he wanted Ginny to be linked to him forever, he didn't want to deal with this.  It would be messy.  He'd send the letter tomorrow afternoon during his free period. 

~

            Helen and Matt Granger were sitting at their kitchen table having a rather heated discussion.  They had searched everywhere for a clinic to take Ginny to, but everyone in the public sector were saying the same things, 'she's too far along,' and some people were even saying that in the private sector, too.

            "Helen," Matt was saying, "we have to tell them now."

            "Matt, I can't"

            "We've exhausted all of our resources, she's much too far along by now.  She'd need _two_ doctor recommendations and she's already in her eighteenth week!"  Helen Granger sat stubbornly at the table, refusing to write a letter to her daughter.  For four weeks they had looked up ways to help the Weasley girl's problem, but Ginny wouldn't be able to come home until Christmas, when she would be only a month away from her second trimester.  It simply couldn't be done through the public sector by then, so they decided to search the possibilities of the private sector. They had told them that if they could see the girl during the following week, there might be a possibility. However, when the Grangers explained that the only time Ginny would be able to visit them was Christmas, they had basically said that there wasn't so much as a chance. Helen Granger sighed, and yanked a pen off the counter to write Hermione a letter.

~

            It took three days for the letter to reach Hogwarts, and Ginny's eyes lit up when it did.

            "Is that it?"  Ginny asked excitedly when Hedwig landed in front of Hermione.

            "It could be," Hermione said hesitantly.  She knew the odds of an abortion working out for Ginny were slim to none; Ginny was even starting to show.  Unlike her, she had not been looking forward to this letter arriving.

            "Open it!" Ginny urged.

            Very slowly, as if to delay revealing the contents of the letter too quickly, Hermione pealed open the letter and very slowly unfolded it.  It was in ballpoint pen, written on what appeared to be sparkling white computer paper.  Hermione swallowed and began to read; with Ginny reading over her should the entire time.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Thanks for your letter honey, it was nice to hear from you, and we're really looking forward to seeing you at Christmas, too.  I'm afraid we have some terrible news.  We've checked everything out, and it doesn't seem possible for Ginny to get an abortion.  We know it's not the same, but we can look into muggle adoption agencies if you can't find a Wizarding one.  We're really sorry it didn't work out and wish desperately that we could do something to help._

_With Love,_

_Mum and Dad_

Behind her, she heard Ginny breathing get shallow.

            "Can I-can I," she struggled for breath and pointed to Hermione's letter.  Hermione handed her the letter and Ginny continued to read it over and over, her breathing become increasingly fast and shallow with each run through.  Harry, who hadn't yet read the letter, but was able to surmise that its contents could be considered 'not good,' hit Ron under the table.

            "Comfort her!" he hissed.

            "Why can't you?" Ron hissed back. 

            "Because we're not supposed to be a couple anymore."  Ron nodded and took Ginny's hand to lead her up to the common room.  Harry followed behind, his green eyes narrowed on Ginny.  She was gasping for breath, putting them in an odd dilemma. She needed to get her away from everyone fast, but they really couldn't rush her, because she was already struggling for breath. 

Draco Malfoy watched from across the hall, and could immediately tell that Ginny's plans were NOT going well.  He took out the letter he was planning to send and ripped it up into little tiny shreds.  Things were not looking up.

            It took some time for their odd brigade to reach Gryffindor tower.  They led Ginny to an open chair by the fire.  Harry immediately squeezed in beside her and took her hand reassuringly.  He was starting to feel a little panicky himself.  Ginny's little hand was freezing, and there was cold sweat all over her body.

            "I can't," she choked out, "I won't."  The group simultaneously urged Ginny not to talk while Hermione preformed a calming charm on Ginny.  After that, her breathing slowed back to a normal pace, but apparently, the charm only worked on her body and not her mind, because she continued muttering things about how she could possibly keep the baby.  Harry simply held her hand and patted it soothingly.  He had known this was a possibility; in fact, he and Hermione had talked about what to do in this very situation. He had come up with a plan of his own.  After much thought and self-examination, he had come to a rather simple conclusion, that he loved Ginny.  He loved Ginny very much indeed, and he couldn't bear to see anything happen to her, emotionally of physically.  So, not long after he had discovered her trying to take that potion, he decided that he would take care of her no matter what, even if it meant raising Draco's child with her.  He already knew that he probably wasn't ready to be a father, but he was certain he'd be a better father than Malfoy, and that's all that counted.  After much time, Ginny's mind had calmed down and she had slipped into an odd sort of state.  

            Ginny sat like that for hours, Hermione's letter clutched in her hand.  She felt ill, very, _very_ ill.  This couldn't be happening, it simply couldn't be happening.  She was now going to have to live with and _raise_ Draco Malfoy's little monster.  Hermione had mentioned something about some muggle method where you had the child, but let someone else keep the baby afterwards, but Ginny knew her parents wouldn't hear of it.  No, she would see this baby almost everyday for the rest of its life, and every time she saw it, she'd be reminded of how it was born, and who the father was.

            "Ginny?" she heard Harry's voice calling, tearing her from her thoughts.  Ginny was silent, she didn't feel much like talking, "Ginny, I need to talk to you."  Harry slipped in next to her and pulled her gently to him so she could rest against his shoulder.  She settled in comfortably and let Harry play with her hair.

            "I hate it," she finally whispered, "and my parents will hate me for it."

            "That's not true!" Harry protested,  "Listen, it's not as bad as you think.  Now that you have to carry the baby to term, we can use it as proof that you weren't lying about where you were last August, not even Fudge can ignore proof like a baby."

            "I don't care if it can put the Malfoys away.  I don't even care if it can defeat You-Know-Who.  I _don't_ want Malfoy's little brat around me." 

            "Just listen to me Gin," Harry said shakily, "I want… Err rather…what I'm trying to say is…" Ginny lifted her head to look at him but he was gazing into the fire. She watched as his hand shook a bit on her shoulder,  "Err...You and the baby… I'd very much like…" he paused and took a deep breath, "Iwanttoraisethechildwithyou" he said so fast that Ginny didn't catch it.

            "What?" she asked.

            "The child," Harry said more slowly, "I want to raise the child with you," he gulped.  "I want to call it my own, and take care of it, and pay for it."  Ginny couldn't say anything; she was speechless.  The idea that Harry would want to raise this child with her completely floored her.  "I know that your parents would have to raise the child while we're still at school, and maybe even next year while you're at school, but after that, well, I think we'd make a great family."  Ginny still didn't know what to say.  Harry continued to ramble on, interpreting her silence as negative, "we don't ever have to tell the child it's not official our baby, I'll never think of it as Malfoy's.  And I don't care who knows about it.  I mean, the first year we'll hang low so no one can use it against me, but after that, when I'm fully trained, I could protect you and the baby from Voldemort.  I wouldn't let the Malfoy's near it."   Harry paused to take a breath of air and Ginny finally spoke up. 

            "I don't know what to say," she said slowly, and then another thought hit her, "are you proposing that we get married?"

            "Well yes," Harry said, "and I don't have a ring or anything, and it'd probably be best if we waited until we were out of school, or even until Voldemort is out of power, but who knows how long that will be and—"

            But Ginny cut him off with a solid kiss on the lips.  Once they parted, Harry pulled Ginny against him again and rested a hand on her tummy.  Ginny sat in Harry's arms; she wasn't thinking of carrying Malfoy's child, she was thinking of a life married to Harry Potter, carrying his children.  She had dreamt about marrying Harry since before she even came to Hogwarts.  If it took carrying Malfoy's little brat for Harry to realize that their marriage would be a good idea, then so be it.  Besides, she could forget the child was Malfoy, and it _might_ even be worth this whole ordeal if it meant that Lucius and Draco would end up in Azkaban.

A/N: If you'd like to start receiving update notices, please say so in your review and leave your e-mail right in the review.


	9. Chapter Nine

           Harry had never been home for the Christmas Holidays, and was looking forward to it greatly.  Not only would it give him lots of time with Ginny, but he'd finally feel like he had a family too.  Christmas at the Dursleys' was hardly what one would call a family affair; well, maybe it was for Dudley, but not for Harry.  Christmas for Harry consisted of ducking whatever new toy (torture devices he often thought of them as) Dudley had gotten and listening to him complain about how he didn't get as many presents as last year.  On a whole, Christmas was worse than Dudley's birthday, because Christmas was _supposed _to be fun for him, too.  He smiled warmly at Ginny and squeezed her hand that he was holding.  On the seat across from them, Ron and Hermione were having a private conversation.  Although Ginny and Harry could see them, Hermione had put some kind of a charm up, so that she and Ron would be inside a bubble of their own, one that sound could not perpetrate. Harry didn't mind; there were many times he wished it were just he and Ginny alone.

          Inside their little privacy bubble, Hermione and Ron were discussing their holiday plans.

          "Christmas _morning_ is always really nice with just the three of us.  It's quiet, but fun.  Mum makes a large breakfast, and then we open presents. But once we go to my Mum's sister's house it's just horrid.  All of my aunts act as if we're strangers and just meeting for the first time, which results in a lot of high**-**pitched, fake laughter.  My Grandparents actually admit to knowing us, but they criticize everyone.  Everything you do is wrong to them.  Honestly, they nag more than anyone I've ever met."  Ron was actually a little amazed that someone could nag more than Hermione.  "They are so stuck in their ways.  From what Harry's told me about the Dursleys, my family isn't much better.  Aunty Gwendolyn judges everyone.  She believes that anyone who isn't exactly like her is wrong and strange.  Uncle Todd is even worse.  He's a starch Tory and even holds a seat in Parliament, the House of Lords.  My mother's whole family is like that.  It's either their way, or the highway."

          "What's Parliament?"

            "You know you really should—"

            "Take muggle studies I know, just answer the question."

            "Parliament is the supreme legislature of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It consists, technically, of the Crown, the House—" Hermione trailed off when she saw Ron yawn and lean back. "Erm, basically they make the laws."

            "Your uncle makes laws?!" Ron asked, more than a little shocked that his girlfriend was the niece of a lawmaker, though knowing how Hermione was, he supposed he shouldn't be.

         "Well, yes—" Hermione said hesitantly.

            "Oh," was all Ron said, "well it sounds like you're lucky your mum took you being a witch so well."

            "Yes, Mum always thought a little differently than the rest of her family I suppose.  Though, she did get a lot of their stubbornness; she just applies it towards different issues." 

            "And she passed _that_ onto her daughter."  Hermione batted Ron on the arm playfully. Ron only laughed good-naturedly and affectionately ran a hand over her shoulder. "All they same, I'm glad they let you come."

          Hermione smiled up at Ron and leaned into his arms, "what about you?" she asked.  "What is Christmas like at the Burrow?"

          Ron sighed and leaned his head back against the seat.  "It's really the same as most dinners at my house, except that we've just all opened presents. So, Fred and George are wreaking more havoc than usual, and Percy has some new 'priceless treasure' he's trying to protect from them.  Bill and Charlie are home, so they always have lots to say.  Mum fusses over Bill's hair.  Dad is just like a kid and always has some new Muggle gadget to fiddle with.  Why Mum buys him plugs and the like is beyond me…" Ron also trailed off, exhausted at the mere memory of one particular Christmas dinner at the Burrow.

           "That sounds like so much fun!" Hermione exclaimed comparing his rowdy family centered affair, to her stiff, formal luncheon. 

           "Well, there's never a dull moment," Ron provided.

           "I wish I could be there," Hermione said wistfully.  Ron hugged her close and patted her arm pleasantly.  Maybe she could come…

~

          Draco was sitting on the Hogwarts express with his arm casually draped around Pansy.  She was chatting nonchalantly with the Avery twins, leaving Draco free to mentally rehearse how things would go with his father.  Above all, he knew one thing: It would not be easy.  He thought, numerous times, about how his father may react, and what his possible course of action may be.  He only hoped it would involve him still being initiated; he had been looking forward to becoming a Death Eater since summer.  The power surge he got after raiding the Diggorys was simply too tempting to deny.  So, as the train pulled into King's Cross station and he saw his mother waiting there for him, he couldn't help but feel a bit ill at ease.

           "Hello Mother," Draco greeted once he disembarked.

           "Hello.  How was the train?"

          Draco nodded, "fine."

~        

          Ginny ran off the train to see her mother.  She didn't care that she was in sixth year and the students in her year were no doubt watching her and thinking how she was acting like a first year.  So much had been going on lately, that she hadn't even realized how much she needed her mother until she saw her waving lovingly on the platform.

           "Hello!" Mrs. Weasley greeted warmly, giving Ginny a large, affectionate hug.

           "Hi Mummy!" Ginny said enthusiastically.  "I can't wait to get home."

           Mr. Weasley smiled warmly at his daughter and patted her affectionately on her shoulder.  "Glad to see you're home safe sweety,"

          As Draco and his mother walked away, Draco caught this disgusting scene out of the corner of his eye.  Didn't she know you don't _do_ that in public?  Didn't she know how _embarrassing_ that was?  But somehow, Draco knew Ginny didn't _care_.  He couldn't imagine not caring what other people thought.  What would it be like to run up to his mother and hug her?  What's more, what would his mother _do_?  The thought, though entertaining, also bordered on heresy in his family, so Draco followed his mother wordlessly to the car. 

~

           "Is there something bothering you, Ron?"  Hermione asked as they disembarked from the train.

          Ron shook himself as if coming out of a daze.

           "Wha-why d'you ask?" he answered back nervously.

           "It's just—you've been nervous for the last ten minutes."

           "What makes you say that?" he squeaked.

          She rolled her eyes, "_Honestly, _Ron! I know there's something on your mind, it just _shows._"

           "Erm—I was just thinking..."

           "_Yes_?" she pressed.

           "You know, Christmas. We're going back home, both of us."

          Hermione sighed, and Ron hesitated before speaking again.

           "This is the last time we'll see each other for two whole weeks; so, I was just thinking... _maybe _we don't have to wait that long. I mean—we _could _see each other at some point, and then we wouldn't miss each other so much." The last part came out quickly.

          She noticed him blush and resisted the urge to smile. Instead, she said, "Well, ok, we _could _do that, so that we don't _miss _each other like you said. But—when should we meet, and where?"

           "You can come over for Christmas dinner", he said excitedly, obviously encouraged by her words, "It'll be great, Hermione! We always have fun at Christmas dinner**, **I've told you that already. And—and you can be there for Ginny, you know? I thought she could use some company."

          She raised an eyebrow.

           "_Ginny _could use some company? I thought you said you didn't want us to miss each other."

          He blushed again, realizing that his attempt to push the subject elsewhere had failed.

           "Well—yeah... Of course."

           Hermione didn't see any sense in pressing him further, so she just smiled and said, "I would love to come over, Ron."

He gave out a sigh of relief and Hermione looked amused at the happy expression on his face.  They smiled, and hugged.  Hermione surprised Ron by turning and giving him a sweet kiss on the lips.  Ron blushed, redder than a Gryffindor flag, but didn't protest.  The couple parted, both of them looking forward to Christmas Day much more now than they ever had.

~

          The car ride home provided Draco with even more time to contemplate what he could say to his father.  He knew exactly what the schedule of the evening would be.  It was the same way every time he came home after fall or spring term.  First, they would have supper together, where Draco would give the usual mechanical explanation of his term.  Next, Draco and Lucius would retire to one of the drawing rooms for drinks, or at least, he hoped they would both be drinking tonight.   In the past, Lucius would have hard liquor, and Draco would be confined to butterbeer, but during the summer, Lucius had started allowing Draco to drink more than that.  It was a sign of equality, and it would be much easier to break the news to his father if they were peers.  Draco always dreaded these meetings, and as the car pulled up into the long drive of the manor, the pit in Draco's stomach got worse.   

           "Draco!" Lucius called gaily as soon as Draco entered the Manor.  Draco couldn't help but be taken aback by this enthusiastic greeting.  Lucius was NEVER this happy, and was he actually _smiling?_

           "Hello Father," Draco said hesitantly.  This couldn't be good, but he hardly had time to consider this, because a house-elf popped up announcing that dinner was ready.  Swallowing, Draco followed his mother and father into the Dinning Room.

           "So tell us about your term," Lucius prompted.  Draco looked at his mother for any sign that Lucius's smiles had become a normal occurrence while he was at school.  If that was the case, he also wondered if hell happened to have frozen over in the last few months.  His eyes found his mother properly cutting of a dainty piece of ham, making no sign that Lucius's enthusiasm was out of place.  Mentally sighing, Draco prepared himself to be criticized for his shortcomings.

           "Well uh—" Draco said and than winced slightly, that was no way to start off a conversation with his Father.  He mentally shook himself and started again.  "Term has gone well, " he began to describe the incredibly boring year he had, pointedly leaving out that he had spent much of his time in the Great Hall staring at the Gryffindor table.  Much to his surprise his father didn't interrupt to scold him at all, even when he told them about losing to Ravenclaw.__

           "It sounds like a rather productive term," Lucius said once Draco had finally finished.  Draco had to make a point to shut his mouth after that.  That was a positive comment, and Lucius never made positive comments about his term.  Even that time in sixth year when they had beaten Gryffindor for the first time at Quidditch and he had beaten Hermione Granger in Potions, and come close in Transfiguration, Father had _still_ complained that his grades weren't high enough, and that he should train more at Quidditch.  He was seriously wondering if his 'father' was an imposter using Polyjuice Potion by now. 

           "Shall we retire to one of the drawing rooms?"  Lucius asked Draco.  That was rather odd**,** too.   Most of the time the 'invitation,' to the drawing rooms was accompanied by a sigh, and a disappointed voice saying that he could see that they need to talk about upholding the Malfoy name.  His wand was in his pocket**;** if this were one of Dumbledore's little followers impersonating his father, they would have another thing coming.  Draco was just reaching to unobtrusively pull out his wand when he saw his father viciously kick a house-elf out of the way and shout at it in Latin.  Draco removed his hand from his wand.  Only Lucius would shout at a house elf in a language it didn't know. 

          Once they reached the drawing room, Lucius pulled out a flask of brandy, poured two identical glasses, handed one to Draco, and took one for him.  

           "Thank you," Draco said and accepted the glass with a nod.  They sat in silence for a while, Draco becoming more and more nervous with each passing second.  He absentmindedly swirled his brandy and looked down into the cup.  Perhaps his father already knew about the girl and he was simply trying to guilt him into saying something, but Lucius was never known for his subtlety. Finally he couldn't take it anymore.

            "Father, about the girl—" but Lucius started speaking at exactly the same time, and Draco shut his mouth to listen to him instead.

            "I visited our master today to speak with him about your initiation."

            Draco eyes went wide and he completely forgot about telling his father about Ginny.  Despite his racing heart and curiosity, Draco managed to reply calmly.  "You did?  What did he say?"

            "He wants to initiate you before Christmas."  The slightest of slight smiles played on Lucius's lips.

            Draco smiled a broad, cocky smile.  "I'm honored," he took a swig of brandy.

            "And I must say Draco, I agree with him.  You've come a long way this year, and you handled the situation with Ginny wonderfully."  

            Draco almost chocked on the brandy, but he managed to recover and say, "Thank you Father," before his father noticed anything askew.

            "There is something I want to give to you.  Think of it as an early initiation gift." Lucius said and snapped his fingers.  A house**-**elf appeared carrying a large a box.  Lucius took the box from the elf and handed it to Draco.  He remembered the last time his father had handed him a box like this.  It had contained Death Eater robes, but he opened this one to reveal a different sort of robes.

            "An invisibility cloak!" Draco said taking the whimsical folds out of the box.

            "Yes, an opportunity to buy this arose and I thought it would make a perfect gift for you."  Draco stared at the cloak.  He knew Potter had one of these, and now he would have one too.  He smiled, there was so much you could do with a cloak like that, including taking little field trips to the Gryffindor girls' dorms, particularly the sixth year ones.  And his father had given him such an honor!  He glanced up to see Lucius smiling down at him.  His face was practically glowing with parental pride.  Draco looked back down the study the cloak once more.

           "Now what about the girl?"

           "Huh?" Draco said looking up with a start.

           "The girl, you mentioned the girl but I told you about your initiation."

           "Oh uh," Draco looked down at the cloak, "Um, nothing.  I just, nothing."  Draco swallowed and ran his fingers through the silky folds of the cloak.  Things would work themselves out.

~

          The day before Christmas Eve, Ginny and Hermione were perched pleasantly on Hermione's bed while Harry was showing Ron a live game of football on Hermione's television and trying to explain Dean's obsession with the game to Ron.  Ron, however, didn't seem to be getting it.  Ginny had always wondered what a muggle house looked like, so Hermione had invited them for a stay.  Harry, Ron, Mr. Weasley and she had flooed to Diagon Alley and ridden the tubes to the Grangers' apartment.   Mr. Weasley had had a great time 'muggle watching,' and he was now presiding in a small coffee shop about a street away.  Hermione was secretly hoping that he wasn't causing _too_ much of a scene.  Although she knew Mr. Weasley was smart enough not to mention 'magic;' the man couldn't help but be amazed by all the things 'muggles have done to get along without magic.'

           "Come now Ginny," Hermione was saying, "It won't be that bad.  It's not your fault. Your parents have to know you didn't want this baby."

            "But they'll still be upset about it.  You don't understand.  Your parents are more sympathetic about such things.  My mum's going to have a bloody cow when she finds out!"

           "Well…" Hermione said searching for something to say, "It won't be that bad."  

          Ginny rolled her eyes in disbelief, whilst Harry (who had given up trying to convince Ron after Ron had said, 'but they're not _flying_,' for the dozenth time) stood up and said, "Ah, come on now sweet stuff, you've been a wreck for weeks.  You'll feel so much better once you tell them, and besides, they like me, so they'll like our plan."

          Ron looked the other way.  It was too weird, his best friend wanting to marry his sister.  He wouldn't trust anyone with Ginny except Harry, and come to think of it, he wouldn't trust anyone with Harry except Ginny. 

          Ginny sighed and looked endearingly at Harry.  "Do you really think so, Harry?" 

          Harry nodded and brushed a few stray strands of hair away from her face. "We'll tell them together tomorrow**,** okay?"

            "Alright," Ginny said weekly.

~

          On Christmas Eve day, the house was being prepared for the night's celebrations, and Draco Malfoy knew enough to stay out of his mother's way when decorating for any holiday was in progress.  He spent the time in his room planning what he could do as a Death Eater and all the power he would feel, but his thoughts slowly shifted to what he could do with his new cloak.  Yes, he would frequent the Gryffindor's dorm.  Maybe he'd even let her catch a glimpse of him. That would make her paranoid.  He couldn't wait to see her.  In fact, why was he even bothering to wait?  He could Apparate into the Burrow right now and see her.  He put on his cloak and drew his wand.

          Draco popped into the Burrow.  He found himself in a warm, _despicably ugly_, yet still warm room, where he saw Ginny and Potter seated close together on one couch, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seated together on another.  He _knew_ his Ginny was still with Scarface.  Ginny was rocking back and forth in an almost comical manor.  He smiled, it reminded him of Dobby, his old house-elf.  Judging by the way there were seated and Ginny's nervous stance, Draco could pretty easily predict the conversation that was about to take place.  He leaned leisurely against the wall to watch the scene play out before him.

~

          Ginny sat on the couch feeling like she was back in first year, and trying to tell Harry about the Diary.  She rocked back and forth until Harry put a comforting hand on her back to still her.  Harry's green eyes were gazing lovingly at her, so she gathered up all her nerves and prepared to tell her parents her news. "I uh—well that is—I guess I don't quite know how to put this, but—um—I'm—when Draco," She swallowed and Harry squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, she took a second to gather her nerves, and tried not to look at her parents confused and worried faces across the way.  "I'm pregnant, almost five months pregnant to be exact."  Ginny said, looking at her feet the entire time.  She felt ill, Harry had been wrong.  She wasn't feeling better, she felt worse!

           "Ex-excuse me?"  Mrs. Weasley stuttered.  "You-you're what?"

           "It's Malfoy's!" Ginny suddenly sobbed.

           "Why didn't you tell us before!?!" Molly Weasley asked jumping up to her feet.  Ginny thought she was going to be sick.

           "It's not something you just send by owl!" Ginny protested.

           "This is a disaster!" Molly sprouted.  "Think of what people will say." Ginny was just about to open her mouth to screw everyone else and focus on what was happening to _her_, when Harry spoke up.

           "Mrs. Weasley, we can make a point to tell everyone whose baby it is.  We could even use it as proof to put Lucius and Draco away for good!" 

           "This can't be happening!" Mrs. Weasley went on as if Harry hadn't spoken a word.  "The money, the talk, your life is ruined Ginny!  You're having a child before you're married.  You'll never find a husband now!"

           "Mrs. Weasley!" Harry cried loudly,  "Her life is not ruined."  Harry couldn't believe he was hearing these things.  Mrs. Weasley stopped to look at Harry as if he was some sort of creature that Hagrid might like, before she spoke again.  "Oh I'm sorry dear, but I think it's going to be drastically different from now on."

           "Different yes," Harry spoke up, "but not ruined.  We've decided, and we'd like your blessing, but uh--we'd like to raise the child together."  Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Weasley said anything; so, Harry started to ramble, Of course, we won't be married until after Ginny graduates from Hogwarts, and we certainly won't be having any children until after that.  Maybe, I don't know, I could live here after I graduate and help take care of the child.  I uh—still have plenty of the money that my parents have left me, and I could help support the child." 

          Mrs. Weasley plopped down next to her husband and began fanning herself frantically.

           "Ginny honey, and you Harry," Arthur began, "Are you certain about this?"

           "Yes sir!" Harry said.  Arthur sighed.

           "Then you have our blessing,"

           "Arthur what—"

           "And we'll talk about this later Molly."

~

          Draco Malfoy couldn't believe his ears.  He Apparated back to the Manor without much thought, and so fast, that he was lucky he didn't splinch himself. 

Absentmindedly, he wandered through the hallways, thinking.  Ginny was going to end up with Potter; his child was going to be raised by _Potter, _and they were going to use the child against him.  He could end up in Azkaban.  He snorted, not even Fudge could be convinced to ignore proof like a baby.  This was so unfair!  _HIS_ Ginny was going to be married to Potter, and he was going to end up in Azkaban!  He knew he had to tell his father now.  There were no excuses left for avoiding it.  Draco stopped mid stride, amazed; his inattentive wanderings had taken him right to the door of Ginny's old pink room.  Slowly, he turned the handle and opened the door.  The room looked exactly the same as it had the last time he had left it, and a million memories came rushing past him

           "I've missed you!"

           "Dim the lights,"

          _ "Do you have to go?"_  He could almost hear her little voice whispering.  He sat in one of the chairs by the little table where they had shared so many meals together.  He remembered sitting there and looking across at her, thinking about how much he just loved spoiling her.  He had been so nice to her and done everything to make her stay comfortable, but she was a conniving little whore, and now, their child was going to be raised by Potter.  No, that wouldn't do, his pet and his child could not belong to Potter; they belonged to him, and if he couldn't have it, no one could.  That settled it.  A plan started to form in his head**;** he could do it, all he needed was the Dark Lord to give the okay, and then, he would be immune to the laws.  Yes, he was going to tell his father now.

~

          Ginny let out a huge breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and leaned against Harry, who immediately slung his arm around her and rested his hand on her swelling belly.

           "That went," he hesitated, "well."  Ginny only had the energy to nod, but she agreed with Harry.  In comparison to how she thought it was going to be, it did go rather well.

           "But she didn't even ask if I was okay," Ginny said.  Harry sighed and held her close.

           "Don't worry about it sweets.  She's just," he hesitated, "a bit overwhelmed I think." Ginny nodded and snuggled in closer to Harry.

           "Why did he have to choose me?" she whispered, and Harry couldn't help but wonder the same thing.

~

          Draco opened the door to his father's study with a minor bang.  Lucius looked up, slightly startled to see Draco, and spoke.

           "Draco! What is the meaning of this?"

           "Father, what does the Dark Lord think about raids.  I mean, once I'm initiated, could I, or could you suggest to him that we raid a certain house, and get hold of a certain person."

           "Like who?" Lucius questioned harshly, though he had a pretty good idea.

           "Ginny Weasley.  She's still pregnant, but Potter is going to raise the child with her, and they're going to use the baby as proof against us.

           Lucius looked at Draco like he was something rather foul on the bottom of his boot.  Draco had surprised him, and he hated being surprised.  A good portion of his life had been devoted to avoiding receiving surprises like these, and he wasn't happy with his son for putting him in such a situation.  He glared and Draco, and his son swallowed before Lucius said, very slowly and deliberately "Ginny Weasly is still pregnant?  How long have you known this, Draco?" 

          Draco had been so concentrated on getting Ginny back from Potter that he had completely forgotten that he was finally breaking the news to Lucius.

           "She never got to take the potion.  Stupid Potter showed up and smashed it against the wall, and she was supposed to get rid of it by muggle ways. I don't know, something that that mudblood was helping her with.  I—uh—didn't know until today, when I went to her house using my invisibility cloak, that she still has the baby.  I came in on her telling her parents as such."  

           "So let me get this straight," Lucius said. "She never even took the potion. So, she's been pregnant for an extra two months and you never bothered to tell me?"

           "I didn't know until just now!" Draco protested, "but anyways, the point is, now I want to get Ginny.  I mean we have to get the child one way or another.  Do you think The Dark Lord would let us have a raid on the Weasleys? And instead of just killing Ginny, we could keep her here even after the child is born."

          Lucius sighed, his son had gotten them into quite a dilemma, but he was willing to forgive Draco for surprising him, if he had a plan, which he seemed to.  Now it was only a matter of getting The Dark Lord to give the okay.  "But you're not even a Death Eater yet Draco.  I highly doubt Our Lord is likely to grant you favors quite yet."

           "But you _are _a Death-Eater, _and_ you're his favorite one.  Ask him Father; ask him if we can raid the Weasleys' house.  Won't you give Ginny to me as an initiation present?"

           "I already gave you that invisibility cloak; didn't I?"

            "Er-right, but we need to get rid of the baby.  Even if Fudge did ignore the proof, others wouldn't.  And I just don't see why I can't keep Ginny here."

            "Well, if we took certain precautions, I don't see why not.  Of course you'll have to leave your wand outside when you go visit her, _and_ she'd have to be in a dungeon room so she couldn't send owls again."

            Draco nodded profusely, and Lucius had a flashback to when Draco was seven, trying to partition him for a new racing broom.  Narcissa had wanted Lucius to buy Draco a slower broom so it would be safer, but between the two of them insisting, she finally conceded and Draco had gotten the Comet 260. He'd looked the same than, wide-eyed and eager. 

           "Alright Draco," Lucius said, "I will ask the permission of the Dark Lord tonight." 

           "Tonight?  Can't I go with you Father?"

          Lucius laughed good-naturedly.  "No Draco, the Dark Lord only allows true Death Eaters in his presence, the only exception being initiations."  

           "Oh," Draco nodded, a little more somber.

           "Why don't you start preparing a dungeon cell?  I suspect you're going to be down there quite a bit at first, and we do want the child to live.  You never know, it could actually be valuable somehow; the Dark Lord may have a use for it. But now I must collect my thoughts before I see Him."

          Draco nodded again left his father study for the dungeons.  The Malfoy dungeons weren't exactly famous for their hominess, quite the opposite actually.  The dungeons were a foul place.  The walls seemed to suck the happiness out of the confinement as the niter sucked oxygen from the air, but as Draco Malfoy practically skipped down the deteriorating halls, he defied the dungeon's atmosphere and thought pleasantly of having Ginny in a little room again, all to himself.  She would need him again, and when he came in to see her, she would beg him to stay and keep her company, because she would be so lonely without him.  He smiled once more, thinking about his child she was carrying.  Yes, his child would be just perfect, and he liked his father's idea.  The Dark Lord may have a purpose for it, but he was willing to bet that Ginny would go all motherly on him now.  It was only natural that she would cling to it when she was 'protecting' it from him.  Didn't she know he had no use for a child, that all he wanted was _her_?  A part of him would even enjoy taking it from her.  He'd see her face twist up and she'd beg him, maybe even bargain with him, for her child.  Then she'd know how he felt.  Yes, he'd have complete control over her again.

~

            Lucius summoned a house-elf and began getting dressed into his Death Eater robes and mask.  He wasn't particularly looking forward to asking The Dark Lord for favors, but it was a necessity.  Besides, the Dark Lord had been in a relatively generous mood lately, and he planned on taking full advantage of that for as long as he could.  Mentally preparing himself to face his master, Lucius Apparated to a hollow in the Dark Forest.  The Dark Lord had set up a camp there some time ago, and it was a strong hold.  The Dark Forest, completely different from the Forbidden Forest, was a long abandoned enchanted wood invisible to Muggles and forgotten by most wizards.  The Dark Lord now resided here, his throne sat among the trees, and next to him, Peter Pettigrew crouched on the ground.  Lucius hadn't a clue where Voldemort actually lived, but he could be found sitting in this throne almost all hours of the day. (that was pretty explanatory,too.)

            "Lucius," Voldermort said, and Lucius couldn't help but get a chill at Lord Voldermort's acute sense for knowing which follower was which**,** even with the black robes and masks.

            "My Lord," Lucius said, immediately dropping to one knee, and gritting his teeth.  Malfoys bowed to no one, and it was difficult to make an exception.

            "You may approach." Lord Voldermort's icy voice sounded.

            Lucius walked forward with trepidation, "Thank you My Lord."

            "You have come to ask a favor of me, no?"

            "I have My Lord," Lucius graveled, and waited for Voldermort's permission to continue.

            "Well?" he prompted impatiently and Lucius winced**;** apparently**,** he shouldn't have waited for approval.

            "My Lord knows of my son's possession of Virginia Weasley this past summer?"

            "I do Lucius," Voldermort said.

            "She became pregnant with my son's child," Lucius paused.  Voldermort liked to critique each sentence separately, and it was Lucius's knowledge of things such as this that made him Voldermort's favorite.

            "Yes, I sensed there was something you were holding back from me before Lucius.  You will be punished of course, but for now continue with your request."

            Lucius swallowed and tried not to think of the _crucio_ that was in his near future.  "We planned to give her a potion, but someone caught them while she was taking it and the potion was lost."

           "Who?"

           "My Lord?" Lucius questioned.

            "_Who_ caught them Lucius?"  Once again, he had to fight the urge to wince; he had purposefully avoided mentioning Potter's name, but Voldermort seemed to be able to sense when Potter was involved.

             "Potter, My Lord." Lucius swallowed.

            "Very well," Voldermort said shifting slightly in his throne. 

           "Continue."

            "Yes**,** My Lord.  Virginia told my son that she was going to get rid of it some Muggle way, and my son, having no real grasp on the idea of Muggle methods, believed everything had gone according to plan."

            "But that wasn't the case?"

            "No**,** My Lord, I'm afraid not."  Lucius paused but Voldermort merely raised his hand, inviting him to continue.  "My son found out today that she's still with child."

           "A problem," Voldermort mused.

           "Yes My Lord, a very large problem."

           "And how would you like my assistance in this matter?" Voldermort questioned.

            "I only seek your permission to raid the Weasleys."

            "An interesting request," Voldermort said and Lucius continued.

            "And once we have the girl, we would keep her at the Manor, and present the child to you, My Lord."

            Voldermort paused and appeared to think about the situation.

           "No," Voldermort finally said.

          Lucius fought the urge to let out a string of nasty profanities.  No?  But then how was he supposed to deal with this?

           "Perhaps my Lord could suggest another possible course of action." Lucius replied instead, trying to keep an edge off his voice. 

          Voldermort chuckled.  Lucius was devoted, but he had a temper that he had a hard time controlling.  It had taken many Cruciatus Curses to teach him in the beginning. "I can suggest something else Lucius, and I think you will find it agreeable."

           "I'm certain I will My Lord," Lucius said, but he was silently pleading that this was one of Voldermort's best ideas.

          Voldermort's face distorted into a cruel, unnatural smile.  He was going to enjoy watching Lucius to react to this. "Draco and Virginia Weasley will be wed."

          Lucius blanched, had he heard him right? "My Lord?" he dared to question.

           "I know you believe the Weasleys are foul excuses for pure-bloods, but the Weasleys' blood goes back farther than yours, Lucius." Voldermort had stumbled across this information some time ago, and had been looking for just the right moment to inform Lucius.  

          Lucius thought he was going to be ill.  That _couldn't_ be true.

           "I-My Lord, I believe Virginia would make a most disagreeable wife for Draco.  I can't foresee her acting as a Malfoy wife should."  

           "But she will Lucius," Voldermort said with a slight smile.  He should punish Lucius for not trusting him. All the same, he flicked his wand, and Lucius found himself holding a rolled up bit of parchment.

           "My Lord?"

           "Read it Lucius." Voldermort said.  So, Lucius did, and as he read a smile began to curl at his lips.

Marriage Contract of Draco T. Malfoy III and Virginia E. Weasley 

_I, Arthur R. Weasley, promise my Daughter Virginia E. Weasley, to be wed to Lucius M. Malfoy's son, Draco T. Malfoy III._

_______________ 

_And I, Lucius M. Malfoy, promise my son, Draco T. Malfoy III to be wed to Arthur R. Weasley's daughter, Virginia E. Weasley. _

_______________

           For the duration of Virginia E. Weasley and Draco T. Malfoy III's marriage, we, Arthur R. Weasley and Lucius M. Malfoy agree that they shall, abide by the following rules: 

          _Excluding only the clause immediately proceeding this, another exact copy (excluding the names at the bottom which will be changed to read Mrs. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy and signed accordingly) of these agreements will be signed by both the bride (Virginia E. Wesley) and the groom (Draco M. Malfoy) at their wedding and once again on their respective eighteenth birthdays (at the time Virginia E. Weasley will be called Virginia E. Malfoy)_

           _The marriage between Virginia E. Weasley and Draco T. Malfoy must take place before midnight of 31 December 1997 A.D._

_Virginia E. Weasley (henceforth called Mrs. Draco Malfoy) shall not do anything that could in someway result in the disgrace or embarrassment of The Malfoy bloodline.  What is considered a disgrace or embarrassment is to be determined by the current head of the Malfoy family, Mr. Lucius M. Malfoy (name will change accordingly.)_

           _Under NO circumstances may either Mr. Draco Malfoy or Mrs. Draco Malfoy divorce.  The only way this contract may be broken is the death of either Mr. Draco Malfoy or Mrs. Draco Malfoy._

           _Mrs. Draco Malfoy will have at least one healthy male child that can properly carrying on the family name.  She will continue to bear children until she has a male child.  The only time this clause maybe waved is if she had produced no less than ten children and no male heir.  In which case, the eldest daughter will be raised to take on the role a male heir would have possessed.  _

           _Her Husband, Mr. Draco T. Malfoy (henceforth called simply Draco Malfoy) may decided when it is reasonable to have children if Mrs. Draco Malfoy does not start bearing children by the age he finds suitable. _

           _While expecting a child, Mrs. Draco Malfoy may not do anything to harm the child intentionally._

           _Further on the subject of children, Mrs. Draco Malfoy will raise her children to be what the head current head of the Malfoy family, Mr. Lucius M. Malfoy, (name will change accordingly) considers correct. _

           _Mrs. Draco Malfoy may not seek officials if she finds any activity they would deem unlawful occurring that involves any one of the Malfoys._

           _The exact contents of this contract may not be discussed or divulged to anyone who was not informed of it at the time of its signing, Mrs. Lucius Malfoy being the only exception.  The marriage may be discussed but no mention of the contract shall be made._

           _Mrs. Draco Malfoy may not take any job (volunteer or otherwise) that the current head of family, Mr. Lucius M. Malfoy (name will change accordingly) does not agree to._

           _Mrs. Draco Malfoy may not keep her maiden name in any form.  She is not to add it as a middle name.  Her only sir name from the time of marriage to the time of her death is Malfoy unless circumstance change (see below)._

           _In the case of Mr. Draco Malfoy's untimely death, Mrs. Draco Malfoy may remarry after an appropriate mourning time has passed (5 years) but only to one that the current head of the Malfoy family, Mr. Lucius M. Malfoy (name will change accordingly) finds suiting.  However, if she does not wish to remarry, she cannot be forced to._

           Mrs. Draco Malfoy must finish her schooling to become a fully trained witch by the time she has reached the age of 19.

_Mr. Arthur R. Weasley and Mr. Lucius M. Malfoy again agree to the above statements._

_______________ 

_______________

           "My Lord!" Lucius spouted.  "It's wonderful."  It really was brilliant.  Ginny would be a good wife under this, and Draco would be _thrilled._ Besides, he wasn't a fool.  He knew that the Malfoy blood was getting thin, and if the Weasleys really _did_ have purer blood than theirs, he planned on capitalizing on that.

           "About your punishment—"

           Lucius's smile faded and he steeled his nerves for the curse.

           "I'm not going to put you under _Crucio_." Voldermort said and Lucius relaxed a bit.  "But because you and your son withheld information from me, Draco will have to wait until summer to be initiated."

           "My Lord, Draco will be mostly disappointed." Lucius said.

           "But he will have his new bride to appease him." Voldermort said.

           "Yes my Lord, because of your brilliance, he will have a new wife."

Voldermort waved his wand with a satisfied smile. "Dismissed!" he barked and Lucius suddenly found himself back at the Manor; he hated it when Voldermort forced him to Apparate.  Lucius marveled at the contract in his hand.  On the one hand, Draco wasn't going to become a Death Eater, and he had so been counting on that.  But The Dark Lord didn't seem to be too upset, and Draco could be initiated this summer.  Besides, the little Weasley child would be a fine addition to the family.  Arthur would be furious.

~

          The next day, Draco was sitting in the drawing room with his father, desperately trying to keep his hands from shaking.  His father had an odd roll of parchment by him, and he was curious to know what it was. He knew his father had gone to ask Voldermort permission to get Ginny for him, but Lucius had made no mention of it at supper today and had barked at him to join him for drinks.  His father's good mood had faded, and Draco only hoped he chose this moment to let on why.

           "You're nervous aren't you?" Lucius finally said.

           "I'm curious, father. How did your meeting with Our Lord go?"  Draco was commanding his hands to stay still, but they wouldn't listen.  They were shaking so much, that the drink he was holding was splashing around annoyingly in his glass.

           "I have some news." Lucius supplied in his usual cold voice.  Draco swallowed.  This couldn't possibly be good.

           "Good or bad, Father?" 

           "Bad," Lucius said and he saw Draco tense, "and good." Draco relaxed slightly.  Even if there was good news, bad news from his father was guaranteed to be unpleasant, and bad news from Voldermort was guaranteed to be _worse than_ unpleasant. 

           "Father?" Draco prompted.

           "Voldermort has forbidden you to become a Death Eater."

           "WHAT?!"  Draco bellowed getting up and spilling his drink. "WHY!?"  Voldermort couldn't forbid him; he needed that power.  It simply wasn't fair.

           "Because you have withheld information from him."

           "What?" Draco repeated.

           "Yes, but do not worry, you will be initiated in the summer.  Our Lord thinks you will be otherwise occupied until then."

           "What?" Draco questioned harshly.

           "Your new wife," Lucius said, a slight smiling curling at his lips.

           "Wife?" Draco asked, now more confused than anything.

           "Yes, you said you wanted Ginny Weasley, and you are going to own her, for the rest of your lives."

           "Wh-what?"  Draco said sitting down.  He could have Ginny for as long as he pleased? 

          "Ginny is going to be my wife?"  

           "Yes, and she will be under this contract," Lucius and handed Draco the odd parchment he had been holding.  Curious, Draco opened it and read.  His reaction was much the same as Lucius's; a small smile crept onto his mouth.  Ginny Weasley was going to be his, forever.  From about a week from now and until death do them part, Ginny was going to _belong_ to him.  She would have to do whatever he said, wear whatever he told her to wear, say whatever he wanted her to say.  His first order of business would be to tell her NOT to go anywhere near Potter.  His smile broadened thinking of Potter.  How would he react to this?  He imagined he would be livid at the very thought of Draco laying a finger on Ginny, let alone marrying her.  That would teach her not to plan to raise his child with Potter.

           "I don't know what to say," Draco said looking up at his father.

           "We'll have to get everything planned and get some ingredients we'll need for an impediment potion."

           Suddenly, a very unpleasant thought hit him, "Father, what if Arthur Weasley won't sign this contract?  I mean, why _would_ he sign it?"

            "Arthur will be given two options.  He can either pledge his daughter to be married to you, or I will kill her.  You'll find Draco, that some people have certain week spots; most of the times, those week spots are their children and family."  Lucius looked at Draco in such a way that Draco was quite certain he was not a weak spot for him.

           "Yes, Father," Draco said.

           "I suppose I shall Apparate into the midst of the Weasleys' Christmas celebration and deliver Ginny her little gift." 

           "Can't I come Father?"  Draco asked.  He didn't want to miss her reaction, or the entire Weasley clan's reaction for that matter.

           "No, I think I should go alone."  Draco wanted to protest but he was in far too good of a mood right now, and he didn't wish to spoil it by upsetting his father.  Ginny Weasley was going to be his, forever.

**A/N:** If you'd like to be added to the update list, please say so in your review and leave your e-mail in there too.  Also, I'd like to give credit to my beta for writing the part where Ron suggest that Hermione comes to visit him for Christmas.  I just can't write romantic moments between the two of them so thanks to her!

**I actually typed up a contract and had fun making paper to print in on.  If you'd like to see it, click the 'Homepage" link in my profile.**


	10. Chapter Ten

           Christmas morning at the Burrow was always enjoyable.  The presents were scarce, but the Weasleys followed the old cliché of making up for what they lacked in money with love. Ginny adored being around her family, even now, despite everything that had happened.

            "Merry Christmas," she said to Harry, pecking him on the cheek and handing him a present.

            "Thanks Gin!" Harry said and handed her a small box in return.  Ginny smiled and tore open the paper to reveal a long, jewelry box.

            "Open it!" Harry urged.  Ginny slowly lifted the lid and gasped when her eyes landed upon a beautiful gold chain and a predictable tear-shaped ruby for a charm.  Ginny's mouth dropped open.  She'd never owned anything so lovely in her entire life.

            "Oh Harry!" she exclaimed, "It's-it's gorgeous!  Where?" she stuttered, "When? Oh you shouldn't have, really!" Ginny yelled jumping up and giving Harry an enthusiastic hug.  Harry smiled.  Ginny had given him exactly the reaction he had wanted.

            "I got it in Hogsmeade."  Harry said but didn't elaborate; he could tell her about all the sneaking out Hermione and him had done when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley weren't around.

            "Open yours!" she said earnestly.  Harry smiled and ripped open his present to reveal a set of Gryffindor Quidditch robes.  Confused, he slowly took them out of the box to get a better look and two silver buttons fell from the folds of the robes onto the ground.  Harry picked them up and curiously read, "Head Boy," off one button and, "Head Girl," off the other.

            "They're your parents' badges," Ginny supplied, "and the robes are your father's old Quidditch robes."

            Harry looked up at Ginny with his emerald eyes shining with genuine emotion.

            "But, but how?" he asked, amazed.

            "I wrote to Sirius and Professor Lupin to ask them if they had anything of your parents that you might want.  Sirius didn't, because he lost most of his possessions when he went to Azkaban, but Professor Lupin said he had those and he'd be glad to send them to me."

            "Thank you." Harry said.  "I've just always assumed that everything of theirs was destroyed when You-Know-Who sent their house up in flames."

            "Professor Lupin said that your parents gave some of their things to Sirius, in case something did happen, and he retrieved them once Sirius went to prison.  They didn't want You-Know-Who to get his hands on some of their keepsakes."  Harry nodded, slightly chocked with emotion, and hating himself for it.

            "Percy!" Mr. Weasley called loudly, breaking the emotionally filled silence in the room.  He could sense that Harry would like the attention off him.  "Why don't you open this?" and he handed Percy an oddly shaped box.  Harry meanwhile pulled Ginny up close to him so he could whisper in her ear.

            "That was so sweet of you Ginny," Harry said.

            "I just love my necklace," she mumbled in reply.

            "I'm glad."  And the couple sat back to watch Ginny's family opening presents.  For the first time in months, Ginny felt truly happy.  Yes, things were going to be okay.

            Due to the number of presents, or lack thereof, it wasn't long until they were settling down to what promised to be an enjoyable and equally delicious Christmas dinner.  There was such incredible racket of people talking, laughing, and asking for certain dishes to be past their way, that no one even heard the pop that always indicated someone's arrival via Apparation.  Ginny, however, looked up from her plate and let out a petrified scream when she noticed Lucius Malfoy standing in the middle of their kitchen.  Harry had his wand out in a jiffy and was ready to curse him if he made the slightest move.

            "What is the meaning of all this?" Arthur bellowed, standing up and facing Lucius, "I DEMAND that you leave my house this instant!"

            "I'm afraid I have some important news for you Arthur." Lucius said icily.  Ginny panicked; she did not like the sound of that. "Once I have settled my business I will leave immediately.  If you take my news the way I'm planning you to, I don't intend to harm a single person in this room." His last comment was directed towards Harry with a look that clearly said that he would very much _like_ to hurt Harry, but he wouldn't be doing anything like that _today_.

            "What news could you _possibly_ have for me Lucius," Arthur asked bitterly.

            "It involves your only daughter." Lucius said as he strode over to Ginny, put a hand in her hair to pull her into a standing position, then grabbed her upper arm to hold her in place.  Harry panicked this time.

            "Leave her alone!" Harry yelled, and was about to perform the disarming charm but Lucius beat him to it, conjuring a gag and ropes. He magically contained Harry before he could even so much as start the spell.

            "Let me go!" Ginny demanded, struggling against him, but Lucius had his wand pointed straight at her temple and she didn't wish to test Lucius's promise not to hurt anyone in the room.

            "If you're referring to some news that involves my daughter and your son, I should tell you that I already know about that."

            "Actually Arthur, although it involves this, I'm sorry to inform you that I also knew about that _months_ ago.  Didn't Ginny tell you that she tried to get rid of it?" Ginny felt like she was going to be sick.  Both of her parents were looking at her like they were very disappointed in her.  "I see she didn't," Lucius said crisply, watching the reactions of the Weasley family, "No no, I assumed you knew about that, this news involves your daughter's future." 

            "What do you want with my future?" Ginny snapped and tried desperately to wrench her arm from his grip.

            "Now now, have patience little one," Lucius said, pulling her roughly back and pressing his wand painfully hard into her temple.  "You should consider yourself lucky.  You see, most of the time, the girls who are carrying bastard Malfoy babies simply disappear." Harry's emerald eyes got large at the thought of his Ginny just 'disappearing.' "But I think you can serve a much greater purpose—"

            "I will never do anything for you!" Ginny spat, but Lucius jabbed the wand further into her temple and she fell silent.

            "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice Virginia," Lucius said, pulling the contract out of his robes.  "You see; I have an ultimatum to offer you.  Either your father signs this contract, or you will disappear."

            Arthur wearily unrolled the contract; his eyes grew in horror as he skimmed it.

             "What is it dad? Ron spoke up, breaking the tense silence.

            "It's-it's a marriage contract." Arthur said.  "It says Ginny's to be married to Draco Malfoy, and it prevents divorce," he said shakily.  There was a loud outcry of outrage from the Weasley clan.

            "Don't sign it Dad!" Ginny yelled, and continued to struggle against Lucius's strong grip.  Lucius, in return, jerked Ginny closer to him.

            Arthur called for silence and looked at the contract.  All these demands were horrid.  He couldn't put his daughter through this; on the other hand, he couldn't allow Lucius to kill her.

            "Sign it Arthur," Molly said quietly.  She didn't want her daughter married to Draco Malfoy anymore than he did, but she certainly didn't want her only daughter killed either.

            "No Dad, don't!" Ginny pleaded.  She didn't care what that contract said.  She'd MUCH rather be dead than trapped in a marriage to Draco Malfoy.

            "Sign the contract, Arthur." Molly said evenly.

            "No!" Ginny yelled, "No.  Someone stun him!" Ginny yelled.

            "I've guarded against that Mrs. Malfoy," Lucius said, and he wasn't lying, at that moment, Percy sent a spell at him but it just bounced off and Percy had to duck to avoid getting hit by his own spell.

            "Daddy, please don't sign that.  Really, it's okay.  I couldn't stand being married to Malfoy.  I'd rather be dead.  Please Daddy, please, please, _please _don't sign the contract."

            "Arthur!" Molly yelled, "I can't believe you're considering letting Lucius Malfoy kill our daughter.  She doesn't know what she's saying.  SIGN THE CONTRACT."

            Arthur's head was spinning.  Did he sign the contract or not?  Molly was right; Ginny was only a child and didn't know the decisions she was making, but then again, Ginny probably wouldn't survive it if he did sign the contract.

            "Daddy no!" Ginny started to sob, "please don't Daddy.  I know what I'm saying. Don't."

            "Arthur, if you don't sign that contract and allow Lucius to kill Ginny, her blood is on your hands!" Molly yelled.

            "No, no.  I can't be married to Draco Malfoy.  I WON'T.  I _can't_ Daddy.  I _can't._ I don't know how I'd survive, please Daddy, don't."

            "I'm waiting Arthur." Lucius said.  Arthur considered this; he could probably find someone at the Ministry to amend the contract.  Molly was right; if he didn't sign this, it would be his fault that Ginny was dead.  Arthur shut his eyes and signed his name in the two places he needed to with the quill Lucius had handed him.

            "NO!" Ginny screamed, "NO!" Lucius let go of Ginny and she tumbled onto the floor and dissolved into tears.

            "I feel I should inform you that that contract also protects against anyone in this room telling an outsider of the contract."

            "What?" Arthur said.

            "You didn't really think I'd allow something that simple to escape my attention?" Lucius paused to look around. "Oh, I see; you did.  That reminds me!" he said and pulled a vial of potion out of his robes.  "You must take this.  It's a potion to slow down the growth of the child so it won't be born until at least this time next year!"

            "What?!"  Ginny yelled.  "I'm not carrying his horrid little brat around for another year!" after declaring that, she pressed her lips resolutely together, so Lucius had to pinch her nose in order to feed her the potion.

            "Well we can't have people matching up the child's birthday with where you were last august can we now?" Lucius said as Ginny gagged and tried to resist swallowing.  "I'm afraid that my business is done here, and as promised, I'm leaving with no one harmed." He casually waved his wand at Harry, who was released from his bonds and fled towards Ginny to comfort her.  "Oh before I forget Arthur, the wedding will take place on New Years Eve Night.  Mrs. Weasley and the future Mrs. Malfoy, you will report to our Manor tomorrow, so my wife and you can work out the details of the wedding.  I know how much you women love that."

            There was a pop and Lucius was gone.

            "Daddy how could you?" Ginny yelled in hysterics.  "You've doomed me to a life of hell!  I'd rather be dead!"

            "You're not thinking straight Ginny!" Arthur said.

            "No!!" Ginny yelled as loud as she possibly could.  "I HATE YOU!" Ginny yelled and bolted upstairs.  Harry ran after her but Ginny was so angry she had accidentally magically shut and locked the door.

            "GINNY!" Harry called pounding on the door, "LET ME IN!" but Harry doubted that Ginny so much as heard him; all he heard was very loud sobbing.

            Ginny threw herself on the bed.  This couldn't be happening.  This simply couldn't be happening.  She started to scream hysterically.  It took her almost two hours, and she destroyed the better part of her room, but eventually, she collapsed into a heap on the bed in exhaustion.

~

            Harry was holding Ginny in his arms two days later.  He felt like he was holding a dummy; all she did these past few days was cry.  Mr. Weasley had spent hours magically repairing everything Ginny had broken in her hysteria on Christmas night.  In fact, Ginny was so distraught, that Mrs. Weasley was allowing them to be alone together in Ginny's room.  Harry was pretty sure that Mrs. Weasley was quite certain they wouldn't be able to do anything in Ginny's state.  Harry couldn't help but think that Ginny was probably safer with him around anyways. He still recalled, with frightening clarity, the scene he had faced when he came upstairs yesterday.  It was dinnertime, but Ginny had gone upstairs to take a nap a few hours before.  So, Mrs. Weasley had sent Harry upstairs to wake her up.

           "Ginny," he had called lightly, softly knocking on the door while entering.  Inside, he had found Ginny with a very sharp kitchen knife pointed straight at her wrist.  The hand holding the knife was shaking violently.  "Ginny no!" Harry had shouted.

            "I can't," she cried somewhat wistfully and turned her head towards him.  "I've tried everything.  Potions, and spells don't work.  So, I thought this might work, because it's not magic; you know?  But that contract won't let me," she said, her voice strained and desperate.  Harry looked at his girlfriend and swallowed; she wasn't well.  Her face was hallow; her eyes were wild, and her voice was not her own.  He'd never seen her look worse, and _he_ had seen her barely alive in the chamber of secrets.

            "Oh Ginny," he said softly and went to her and put a hand on her back.  With his touch, she lost the ability to fight the contract and her hand fell to her side.

            "Please kill me," she said turning to him and using the same strained voice.

            "Ginny—"

            "Harry please, I don't want to…  I can't…  Oh God, please Harry, be a good person and put me out of my misery."  

            "Shhh," Harry said and hugged her.  She broke down and wept in his arms.  Since then she had been quiet and withdrawn, only speaking when necessary, and sometimes, not even then.  Often, when he was sitting with her, he'd think that she'd forgotten he was there, or that he'd become a burden, but when he went to move away she'd whimper and grab onto him for dear life, and he'd sigh, sit back down, and pull her close.

            He looked at her now, sitting in his arms, only a few days away from walking down the aisle. 

            "Harry," Ginny spoke quietly, surprising Harry by talking volunteering. 

            "Yeah Gin?" Harry replied.

            "When we're at Hogwarts, can we still be together, if the contract still lets us that is?"

            "Of course Gin," Harry said.  Ginny further surprised Harry by snuggling close to him.  "I wish you could come to the wedding," she whispered and entertained her fingers with his.  "I'd be nice to know you're there, but I suppose it's even nicer to know your safe at home."

            "I wish I could come too Gin," Harry said.  The couple lapsed into a comforting silence, just enjoying being in one another's company.  Ginny shocked Harry by suddenly turning towards him and giving him a very passionate kiss on the lips.  After he recovered from his surprise, Harry returned the kiss full force.  It wasn't like they'd never kissed before, but when Ginny's lips left his, and began to trail deliciously down his neck, he knew something was up and a small—_very_ annoying—voice in his head told him to stop before anything else happened.  He told the voice to shut-up and started to nibble on her ear, but the voice persisted, yelling at him to stop this, or at least find out what was going on.  Hoping beyond anything that this would shut the voice up, Harry mumbled, "what's goin' on Gin?"

            "Just once," she mumbled, and Harry could clearly hear tears in her voice.  

             At the demands on that blasted little voice Harry prompted her to go on.

            "Hmmm?" he said distractedly, for Ginny's hands were trying to work his jumper off.

            "Just once, I don't want it to be rape.  I want to want it at least once.  Please Harry," she pleaded as she pulled his shirt over his head, "Please give me that experience.  Just one time when it's completely my decision."  Harry nodded and started working on the buttons of Ginny's shirt.  That damned voice, however, wouldn't be silent. '_She wants this,'_ he told it, _'she said so herself.'_   He gently guided Ginny onto her back; he was delirious with pleasure.  He'd never been this far with Ginny, or any girl for that matter, and it was all happening so fast.  The voice was telling him to stop, that this was wrong. '_It's not wrong,' _he justified as he began to work at her clothing too, '_she wants it to be her decision.  You can give her this.  She wants one time where it's special, and completely her choice,'_ but the voice persisted that it wasn't _really_ Ginny's choice, and if she wasn't going to be forced into marrying Malfoy, she would most definitely NOT be under him right now with her fingers working furiously at his belt buckle.  No matter how many times Harry tried to silence his blasted conscience it wouldn't be quieted.  _Very _reluctantly, he sat up and turned his head away from Ginny so he couldn't see her beautiful body and enticing red hair, his body screaming bloody murder at him the entire time.

            "What's wrong?" she said, sitting up and placing her lips on his neck.

            "Gin I can't," Harry said, trying desperately to ignore the sensations her lips were prompting.

            "Why not?" Ginny asked indignantly.

            "Believe me," Harry swallowed, "I want to.  But, I'd be taking advantage of you."

            "But I want this!" Ginny cried.

            "But you wouldn't if you weren't going to be married soon."  Ginny opened her mouth as if to say something but then she broke down into tears.

            "Y-you're r-r-right," she hiccupped.  "Just to-tomorrow night.  I know wh-what he's g-going to do-do to me.  I can't stand it.  I think I'll go m-mad."  She was shaking violently. So Harry, still not wearing a shirt, gently pulled her body close to his.  He swallowed; the sensation of Ginny's bare skin on his was about as much as he could take.

           "No you won't Gin.  Even if he does touch you, you're stronger than that.  You've gotten though it before."

           "No I'm not!" Ginny protested, "I can't Harry.  I can't put up with it.  I only could before because I knew it would lead to me getting out!"

            "You'll be fine."  Harry cooed, running his hands through his hair, "you'll be fine," he repeated gently.

~

            The residents of the Malfoy Manor were in quite a state themselves.

            "And her wardrobe!" Narcissa was exclaiming to her husband, "It's just horrific.  Virginia still dresses in muggle clothing, _horrid_ muggle clothing at that, and Molly's clothing…" she shook her head and trailed off.  There simply weren't words to describe the revolting state of the Weasley woman's clothing.

            "I know, dear, I'm sorry.  You're being awfully good putting up with them." Lucius said taking his wife's hand.

            "And I swear, the little one is trying to drive me crazy with the ideas she's proposing.  She changed her mind about the gardens THREE TIMES," she paused, "So far!"

            Lucius chuckled.  "Yes, she's quite the spitfire.  I think I'll have to reinforce the contract so she won't fight it."

            Narcissa nodded in agreement and took a dainty sip of her wine, wishing, not for the first time that week, that it was socially acceptable for women to have hard liquor.  

          "For the life of me, I can't imagine how Draco managed her for a whole month.  Come to think of it, I don't know how he'll manage her for the rest of his life."

            "She'll break," Lucius said simply.  Narcissa Malfoy only hoped her husband was right.  

           Lucius leaned back against the cushion of his chair and considered what he had just said.  How long would it take the girl to break?  It had taken Narcissa nearly a year, but she hadn't been nearly as opposed to the marriage as Ginny was.  Narcissa was just upset that he was a decade her senior.  Lucius still didn't understand _why_. Back then women found him devastatingly sexy; they still did in fact.  Lucius had his sites set on Naricissa from the time she was fourteen, and he had succeeded in marrying her a week after her graduation.  At first, she had been snappish and almost impossible at home.  It'd been months before she really _let _him have her.  Of course, that's not to say he didn't before then.  But things got better.  Narcissa had been raised in the best of families, and she would consider causing any sort of a scene in public a far worse fate than being married to him.  Eventually though, he had worn her down with a combination of gifts, power, and kindness.  Now she was most agreeable wife.  He rarely raised his voice to her and he had never raised a hand to her.  A few good beatings would have been warranted in their first year of marriage, but at that point, he was still working on winning her over.  Now that he had, it wasn't very often at all that she caused him any sort of trouble.  He sighed and swished the brandy he was drinking around in the glass. Draco wasn't going to have it nearly as easy; it would take him quite some time to get Ginny under his thumb.  Part of him wanted to warn him and guide him along, but Draco was turning into a fine lad, and Lucius was confident in his son's ability to handle the issue.  If he were to need some guiding, Lucius would be more than ready to give it to him.  He only wished the Dark Lord hadn't forbade Draco to become a Death Eater.

            Draco, meanwhile, was sitting in his chambers, doing a haphazard job on his potions work once more.  There was only one thing on his mind; Ginny Weasley now belonged to him.  She was his _by law_ and there was nothing she could do to deny it.  It wouldn't be long until she was back to being complacent and loyal.  He was actually looking forward to spoiling her again.

**A/N:** If you'd like to be added to the e-mail update list, leave your e-mail address in your review.  Also, I'm going to continue to update even after the release of _The_ _Order of the Phoenix. _**That doesn't mean I won't update until then.  Some people are saying they won't keep updating after book five, but I still will.**


	11. Chapter Eleven

            "I'm getting married," she told the smiling reflection staring back at her, for such a beautiful girl surely couldn't know that in just a thirty minutes' time she would be walking down the aisle to be married to a man she loathed.  She knew the entireties of the guests waiting in the Malfoy's ballroom downstairs were saying she was embarking a perfect Marriage through the perfect wedding.  If only they knew the whole story.

            She had fallen asleep in Harry's arms a few nights back, and a strange sort of calmness had set over her since she had woken up.  The wedding downstairs would have been perfect, if only it was Harry waiting for her at the alter instead of Draco.  The Malfoys had told her that she could have whatever she liked at her wedding, so long as it was tactful.  So, Ginny had spent as much of the Malfoys' budget as possible, pushing the limits of the so-called 'tact.'  Lucius had found it highly amusing, and he would chuckle when he would stop by to see how things were going.  Mrs. Malfoy didn't find her extravagant spending nearly as entertaining and had spent the week taking vials of headache potion, whilst Mrs. Weasley tried to restrain Ginny from spending. After a while, Ginny suspected that she too had started to enjoy spending the Malfoys' money.  She had had fun annoying Mrs. Malfoy by changing her plans about which gardens she wished for the reception to be in.  Finally, she had selected the gardens furthest from the house, just to be a bother, and Mrs. Malfoy had to hire numerous people to place warming charms around the perimeter. 

            She couldn't believe this was happening to her, and she supposed that's why she was so calm and collected.  The last two days had been spent squashing any thought of the wedding, and even now, minutes away from walking down the aisle, she couldn't quite believe that she was really going to marry Draco Malfoy.

 It wasn't until the large oak doors that led to the Malfoy Ballroom were looming ominously in front of her, that it became real again.  Once those doors opened, that was it.  There was no possible way of getting out of it.  She would walk down the aisle and she would be wed to Draco Malfoy. 

            "Daddy I can't," she whispered, "please don't make me."  She wanted to cry, wished she could cry now.  If only she could scream and wail in front of all her guest to tell them how much she didn't want to be there.  She wished they knew how much she hated the groom.

            "I don't want you to sweety." Mr. Weasley said, "I wish I could somehow free you from that contract.  If I could help you run away I would, but I think you'll find that your feet won't take you where you want to go." 

            Ginny let out a would-be-tearful sigh and looked at the door.

            "The ceremony will be over soon," Hermione who was arm and arm with Ron said quietly behind her.

            "It's not the ceremony," she whined, turning her veil adorned head towards Hermione, "It's that after the ceremony I have to spend the rest of my life with Draco Malfoy."

            "I'm sorry Ginny," Hermione said.  Ginny turned her head back towards the door because she was fearful she would star glaring at Hermione.  Deep down she knew the girl meant well, but that was hard to see when she was standing so casually with Ron.  Hermione was going to get to spend the rest of her days with the man she loved, not being Draco Malfoy's little wifey-poo.  Seeing Ron and Hermione together caused a pit in her stomach.  It made her think of Harry; she so wished Narcissa had let her wear her new necklace.  She wondered what he was doing now.  She pictured him sitting in an armchair, alone in the Burrow, with _Quidditch Through the Ages_ opened on his lap, but with a frown adorning his face; he was thinking of Ginny and wishing there was something he could do to stop the wedding.  She wished he could do something, too.

            "You should go sit down now Ron," Arthur said.  Ron gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek, and gave Ginny a gentle hug before parting ways and sitting down.  Next, one of the ushers came and led Mrs. Weasley away to be seated.  Ginny winced; she knew it was only a matter of minutes before those doors would open allowing her and her father through. Mr. Weasley pulled his arm around her and gave her a hug.

            "I'm sorry sweety," he whispered, "I wish there was something I could do to help you."  Ginny didn't say anything because the only think she was thinking she was quite certain her father didn't want to hear, and that was, '_I'd rather be dead then here Daddy.  If I was dead I couldn't feel so depressed about facing a life with Draco Malfoy for company.' _

            "Maybe Malfoy will die of some horrible accident," Hermione joked.

            "I hope it will be painful," Ginny responded quietly.

            "And gory," Hermione added.

            "And soon." Ginny said with finality.  Hermione laughed even though she guessed Ginny wasn't joking.    

            All too soon, the doors opened and the contract started forcing Ginny to move.  She felt her feet moving against her will.  She kept her eyes locked down, staring into her bouquet.  She couldn't look at Draco Malfoy standing there. '_It's a dream,_ she told herself. _You'll wake up and be back at home in the Burrow before starting Hogwarts this year.' _ She didn't so much as dare to glance at Draco Malfoy.  '_It's actually Harry,' she_ thought.  '_Just pretend it's Harry,' _but soon she saw her feet walk up to the front of the aisle and her head was rising on its own accord to see, not Harry Potter, but Draco Malfoy.  

          Draco watched Ginny walking up the aisle; the very first thought that struck him was how desirable she looked in her wedding dress.  Although he wished his father had come to a less permanent arrangement, he truly believed that she was back with him where she belonged.  He would show her what she got when she messed with him.  Potter wouldn't be getting his hands on _his _baby, or _his _wife.  She really did belong to him now.  But all the same, Draco felt ill; he knew what he was embarking on.  She would be impossible to deal with.  He still wasn't sure what his father was thinking, marrying a Weasley into the family, but he didn't care.  Draco suppressed a sigh as Ginny finally looked up to see him, '_that's right,'_ he thought viciously, '_I'm me and NOT POTTER.  Merry Belated Christmas.'_

  Arthur turned towards her; she could see tears shining in his eyes.  Slowly, he kissed her lightly on the cheek and whispered, "I love you," in her ear before reassuringly squeezing her hand and placing it in Draco Malfoy's.  Draco's eyes were cold and a horrid shade of gray; he was smiling, but it was a cruel, superior smile that didn't reach his eyes.  How could he smile?  She imagined he was happy to see her so miserable.  He was getting exactly what he wanted, Ginny locked up, being his little slave. Oh how she wished she could throw her beautiful bouquet in his face and storm off down the aisle; however, she allowed him to take her hand and lead her up to the alter. Yuck, his hand was freezing cold.  Her husband's hands were supposed to be warm and inviting, and on a day like today, they would be clammy just from nerves.  But no, everything about Draco Malfoy was cold and aloof.  Regardless of all that, he was the man she would spend the rest of her life with.

         Ginny didn't listen to the service; she found that the contract was forcing her to listen when she needed to repeat Fudge, but other than that, she made a point not to listen.  It all seemed so surreal.  She wasn't here!  She couldn't be here!  Oh, she felt nauseous.  All too soon Fudge spoke the words she had been dreading,

            "Do you, Virginia Elizabeth Weasley, take Draco Thomas Malfoy III to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, cherish and obey, until death do you part?"  She didn't want to say the words; she fought as hard as she could against the contract, delaying her response. 

Lucius became extremely worried in the moment of silence that followed.  Was she fighting the contract already?  What if she overcame it?  She had to say something! It was only a few seconds, less than three actually, but it felt like an eternity before she said it.

            "I do," Ginny said, and Lucius breathed a sigh of relief. 

"And do you Draco Thomas Malfoy III, take Virginia Elizabeth Weasley to be your wife, to have and to hold until death do you part?"  Draco couldn't miss Ginny's sideways pleading look.

            "I do," he said, avoiding Ginny's eyes. 

"Then I now pronounce you man and wife." Fudge said.  There was a loud spout of cheering, and Draco took her hand to run down the aisle with her.  Ginny found herself laughing with apparent glee.

~ 

            Ginny's feet were killing her at the reception; she must have danced with every man available

            "Ron," she said pleadingly to her brother, with whom she was currently dancing.  "Please do something_, anything_."

            "I can't Gin.  The three of us are working non-stop to try and find a way out but that contract is impermeable."  Ginny sighed and continued dancing with Ron.  Ugh, it was back to that then, the trio and little helpless Ginny.  She was hopelessly torn, too.  She desperately wanted to get behind closed doors, where she could let loose and shed the tears that had been the verge of spilling all day. On the other hand, she knew who was going to be with her behind those closed doors.  The whole day she had commanded herself not to think about this because she feared she would go insane, but now the day was winding down and she knew she was going to have to face him.

            "May I cut in?" she heard _his_ voice saying.  Ron couldn't scowl, because apparently the contract was affecting him too, but Ginny had the feeling he would be if he had the chance.  However, he handed her off to Malfoy.  Draco gulped as his hands encircled her waist.  He supposed it would take awhile before the thrill of being able to demand that he had her undivided attention would wear off.  All too soon for Ginny, they were dancing their last dance together and Draco was leading her off to the horseless carriage, to be taken back to the Mansion.  The instant the door was shut Ginny burst into tears and ripped the veil from her head.  She couldn't remember a time she had sobbed so hard.

            Draco watched, appalled at her reaction once she wasn't being affected by the contract.  She tried desperately to slash at her wrist with one of the little combs that had been holding her veil on, and when that didn't work, she tried to open the door of the carriage when they were going over a bridge.  The door wouldn't budge and Ginny collapsed into another crying jag.  Draco sighed wearily; it was going to be rather difficult to tame her.  Without ceremony, he went to hand her his handkerchief.

            Ginny yanked her arm away, "Do-don't y-you com-come n-n-n-near me-me D-Dra-Dra-co," she hiccupped out.  So, Draco scornfully threw the handkerchief right at her.  Ginny grabbed it and rubbed at her eyes, smudging her perfect make-up.  She was miserable, and Draco could tell.

            "Stop crying." Draco said annoyed, "you're giving me a headache."  Ginny didn't say anything; she just rubbed furiously at her eyes and cried harder.  Draco sighed and leaned back against the carriage.  

            Once they reached the manor Ginny's sobs had been reduced to a steady flow of tears and hiccups.  She rushed away from him and into the house as soon as the carriage pulled up.

            "Take me to my chamber," she told the first house elf she came across.  Draco sighed and followed slowly behind; he couldn't help but think that it was now _their _chamber.

            Ginny slammed the door once she reached her rooms and immediately put a locking charm on it.  It was nothing Draco couldn't break with a simple _Alohomora, _but it felt good to be a step ahead of him all the same.   Ginny ran desperately to the bureau so she could change before Draco came up, only to find that all the modest nightgowns were gone, replaced with smaller silkier ones. Her full-blown sobs started again and she sank to her knees on the floor, putting her face in her hands.

~

            Draco Malfoy reached his new chambers and prepared to meet Ginny again.  He had a feeling that tonight wasn't going to go well.  Days ago, he had decided not to make use of his marital rights on his wedding night.  As much as he wanted to, he knew that everyone had his or her limits, and he was pretty sure that Ginny had just about reached hers.  Forcing himself on her would most certainly put her over.  He may want to teach her a lesson, but more than that, he didn't want a wife going nutters. He reached for the knob, only to find that it wouldn't turn.  Letting out another sigh, he said the unlocking charm and walked in to find Ginny, still in her wedding dress on the floor sobbing and a few curls that had escaped her elaborate hairstyle when she had yanked her veil off were now framing her blotchy face.  She obviously hadn't heard him enter, or else she would have grabbed for her wand.  He left her there and got into the pajamas the house elves had laid out for him.

            "Ginny!" he finally yelled when she had still failed to notice him.

            "Go away, go away, go away!" she sobbed.

            "Ginny," Draco said standing above her.

            "P-p-p-pl-please d-d-d-don't t-touch m-m-m-me." Ginny stuttered with her face still buried in her hands.  Draco knelt down in front of her and grabbed her wrist to yank her hands away from her face.

            "N-n-no.  Y-you c-can-can't.  You-you mus-musn't," she sobbed hysterically, squeezing her eyes shut and vigorously shaking her head.

            "Ginny," Draco said, "I'm not going to do anything to you tonight.  Stop crying so much.  You're going to keep the entire household awake."

            "I-I w-want s-s-sep-separate cham-chambers."  Ginny demanded through her tears.

            "No," Draco said assertively, "You're to stay here with me.  I will not have my wife sleeping in a different room."

            "Then I w-w-want, m-my ol-ol-old  cot-cot-ten n-n-night g-g-gow-gowns b-b-back."

            "What?"

            "M-m-my n-n-n-night g-g-gow-gowns have b-been re-re-replaced," she said, pointing to a draw where Draco found the offending nightgowns.  Draco smiled at his father's thinking, but he easily transfigured the silky thing into something a little more modest for Ginny and threw it to her, anything to make the excessive wailing stop.

            "Here," he said, "remember, you can do magic here even though you're not of age."

            Ginny nodded and trudged to the bathroom to strip out of her wedding dress.  It felt good to be rid of its unnecessary bulkiness and grandeur.  She left it in a heap on the floor, assuming the house elves would deal with it.  After washing her face to scrub off her make-up, and taking down the spells that held her hair up, she did feel a bit better.  She found her nightgown was a bit tight around the middle and made a mental note to talk to someone about taking it out a bit.  She slipped her wand into a pocket and emerged from the bathroom to find Draco Malfoy already in bed and the torches dimmed.  She froze in the doorframe; she couldn't do it.  She simply couldn't sleep in the same bed as him.  She stood there frozen in the doorway, just staring at the bed.

            "Are you just going to stand there?" Malfoy asked annoyed, after ten minutes.

            "I'm NOT sleeping in that bed with you." Ginny said, still frozen like a dear in the headlights.

            "Get into bed Ginny.  We're _married._  At some point we're going to have _children_.  We're sleeping in the same bed."

            "I can't!" Ginny said shaking her head.  "I won't!"  Draco sighed once again and considered their situation.  He wondered if simply _sleeping_ in the same bed as him would put Ginny over her limit.  '_It shouldn't,' _he thought sadistically. '_She never seemed to mind in August_.'__

            "You're sleeping here Mrs. Malfoy," Draco commanded.  "Now get into bed!"

            "No!" Ginny said in panic shaking her head vigorously.

Highly irritated, and with the incredibly annoying thought that Pansy would have done whatever he told her to, Draco got out of bed and grabbed Ginny's upper arm to drag her to bed.

            "NO!" Ginny yelled, "don't touch me!" Ginny struggled against him. 

            "Come on!" Draco said, wishing he had his wand with him.

           Ginny vigorously shook her head, but then she had an idea when she spotted Draco's wand on the bedside table.  By the time Draco knew what was happening, Ginny drew her own wand and _stupefied _him.

           Draco fell to the floor with a thud and Ginny smiled a bit.  She checked to make sure there wasn't any blood and when she saw there wasn't, she got into bed all by herself.  At least the room wasn't pink.

A/N: If you'd like to be added to the e-mail update list, just say so in your review and leave your e-mail address.  I will post again in under two weeks, but then I'm going to take a break and wait until July to post chapter thirteen.


	12. Chapter Twelve

          The spell wore off gradually, and Draco awoke to find himself in a darkened room.  Confused, he groped around next to him to locate his wand on the bedside table where he was _sure_ he had it last, only to find that his hand was hitting the cool marble of a bathroom floor.  Still not sure exactly what was happening, Draco raised his head a bit and allowed his eyes to adjust to the lack of light.  When they did, he caught sight of a figure on the bed. '_Ginny_ ' he thought, and let his head fall back to the floor. "Ouch," he hissed as it made contact with the hard surface.  He remembered now, Ginny must have stunned him.  Well, he was sticking by his word.  Ginny was NOT going to sleep in a different bed than him.  Irritated, he felt his way to the bedside table where his wand _really_ was.  He lit it, and stood over Ginny, surveying her sleeping figure.  Her face was back to its normal color after all of her crying jags, and her vivid red hair was falling over her face.  Very carefully, as not to disturb her, Draco brushed the strands back behind her ear.  She looked the same as she had in August.  He was almost amazed that his new wife was the same innocent little treasure as his pet, but when he saw her asleep like this, he believed it.  In fact, the only difference was that her stomach had the slightest swell to it.  Slowly, and very timidly, he reached out to touch the little bulge with his fingertips, and when Ginny didn't stir, he covered it completely with his hand.  His child was living in there, the little child he had planted in Ginny, and was all his own was developing in there.  He wondered how big it was. Would it have blonde or red hair?  Would it have Ginny's brown eyes or his gray ones?  There were so many questions.  It was really a shame he wouldn't know any of the answers for almost a year.  He sighed, and used his free hand to cradle Ginny's face once more, but she stirred, and Draco yanked his hand away before she could wake up.  He crawled into bed.  On a whim, he pulled himself up to Ginny and very carefully drew her into his arms.  She stirred once more but didn't wake.  He lay there, and thought of how nice it felt to have his pet asleep in his arms.  Maybe things could work out after all. 

~

            Ginny awoke slowly, she had had the most horrid dream, where she was married to Draco Malfoy and she had to carry the child for another whole year.  Even through the haze that one always feels while waking up, Ginny thought desperately of how she needed to tell Harry about this.  He would comfort her and tell her it was all a dream.  But the instant she opened her eyes and saw the room she was in, she knew it wasn't a dream.  It was true.  She was now married to Draco Malfoy, and she wouldn't be seeing Harry again for another few days.  And then, she became aware of something else.  Someone's arms were around her.  Slowly, very slowly, she turned around, dreading what she might find.  Sure enough, there was Draco Malfoy.  Screaming bloody murder she got out of bed and grabbed her wand. 

            Draco awoke to the sickening, yet distinctive, feeling of a wand being pointed at his temple and his lovely little wife screaming at the top of her lungs.

            "What are you doing in that bed?" she yelled.  "Why I ought to hex you into tomorrow.  You weren't supposed to wake up until this morning, and you were supposed to wake up STILL ON THE FLOOR!"  Ginny felt sick.  What had Draco done while she was asleep?  Perhaps he had stunned her, and done--she swallowed--and done horrible things to her.  There were no limits to the things he could have done, and if she had been stupefied, she would never even know.  And if he had done that sort of thing now, who's to say he hadn't back in August?  Was there no end to his evilness?

            Draco tried to comprehend what Ginny was yelling.  So he wanted to sleep in the bed.  All he had done was hold her.  Why was she so worried about that?  After what he _could_ and _should_ have done to her last night, she should be happy that that's all he had done.

            "You're sick Malfoy. Disgusting, and I don't want you near me!"  What was so sick about sleeping next to her?  Unless…yes, that was probably it, Ginny thought he _had_ done more.  What kind of ill-mannered pig did she take him for?  Maybe her foul little brothers would have to resort to stunning a girl and taking her, but he wasn't that low.  At least his pursuits remembered what had happened.  He looked up at Ginny, she was shaking violently and her breathing was getting shallow, just like it had when she had gotten the notice that she had to keep the baby.  There was really no telling what she would do to him in that state.  He made a move and he had his wand in his hand in no time flat.  He pointed his wand at Ginny.

            "Put your wand down," he said calmly.  Ginny just shook her head and clutched onto her wand.  Who was she kidding?  She couldn't fire a decent spell if she tried with her grip like that.  "Put your wand down Ginny," he said persuasively.  Ginny shook her head and backed away from him.  Finally, Draco heaved a sigh and summoned her wand to him.  She gasped upon suddenly finding her hands empty and sank down to the floor, where she started to hyperventilate.

            "Don't come near me," she tried to shout, but she couldn't get enough air, so it came out sounding like a desperate plea.  Draco crouched down next to her and quickly put a calming charm on her.  She stopped hyperventilating and instead seemed to be frozen in place.

            "Do you want to know what really happened last night?" he asked huskily and grabbed her chin, forcing her face up, but her eyes stayed pinned to the floor.

            Ginny stayed still, frozen by his terrifying touch.  _Did_ she want to know what happened?  Could she take it?  On one hand, ignorance is bliss, but on the other hand, she couldn't take _not_ knowing.  But before she made up her mind, Draco's voice returned to normal.

            "Nothing happened, I just climbed in to bed when I woke up on the floor," and he stood up, "now get ready for breakfast."

            The idea of breakfast with the rest of the Malfoys didn't sound the least bit appealing.  She protested against eating with them, claiming that she'd take her breakfast in her room, but Draco insisted, and he still had her wand.  After threatening to bathe and dress her himself, Ginny finally got ready.  And then, the only thing that got Ginny out of the room was Draco's ultimatum of either eating breakfast with the rest of the family, or being locked in the room until they returned to school.  It didn't take Ginny too long to decide that the latter was NOT the answer.

            Draco attempted to stifle a yawn as they walked down the halls of the manor.  Stunning spells weren't the same as being asleep, and he had been under one for the better part of the night.  He would have had a lie in, but Ginny had woken him up with that horrible screaming.  After that, getting back to sleep seemed almost impossible.  He wondered if everything was going to be a battle.  It had taken him nearly an hour to convince Ginny to get ready, and he could have sworn she was taking extra long in the bathroom just to annoy him.  And she must have worn the worst clothes she owned, and by the looks of it, she didn't own many.

            "Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," Lucius said as they entered the dinning room.

            "Good morning Father, Mother," he nodded to each of them in turn.  Next to him, Ginny mumbled a 'mornin'' and they sat down for breakfast. 

            "Oh Virginia," his mother spoke up, "we must get you some new robes."

            "What's wrong with these?" Ginny asked indignantly and looked down at her tattered old jeans and patented Weasley jumper.  Her mother had knitted this jumper for her just last Christmas.  It was practically brand-new!  She had pulled it on this morning just to feel her mother's presence.  It was silly and she knew this. All the same, the jumper helped her feel better, and she didn't intend on letting Mrs. Never-made-a-single-thing-for-my-own-child take it away from her and replace it with some fancy smancy robe made by some stranger!

            "They just aren't appropriate for a Malfoy," Mrs. Malfoy said.

            "I'm _not_ a Malfoy." Ginny said.  Draco opened his mouth to say something but Ginny cut him off.  "I don't care what any stupid contract says.  I'm not a Malfoy; I'm a Weasley, and Weasleys wear these jumpers!"  

            There was a stunned silence, and Ginny had the distinct feeling that the Malfoys were not used to being told off, especially by a Weasley.         

           Draco cleared his throat and spoke up, "as I was going to say.  Why don't you keep the jumper Ginny, and wear it around the Manor, but you can wear robes in public?"  Draco didn't feel like fighting a battle, and if he had to give Ginny a little bit of ground in order to ultimately win, so be it. 

           Narcissa didn't wait for Ginny to reply, "well Madam Malkin is expecting us. Finish up and we should be off." She gave Ginny a once over, "don't you have _any_ robes to wear dear?  I find those," she paused, "_garments _just appalling."

            "No, we don't worry about things like that." Ginny said curtly.

            "Yes, and that is why _we_ are here," Lucius spoke up gesturing to the elaborate dinning room, "and _your_ old family lives in that horrid shack, isn't it?"   

            Ginny's mouth about fell open.  Weren't these people supposed to be classy?  She supposed they didn't care around her, or perhaps they were just trying to get her riled up, and they had succeeded. How dare they insult her home? "it's not a shack!" Ginny protested loudly. "It's our _home_.  It's _my home_!"

            "Not a very good one, is it?"  Draco snorted beside her.

            Ginny let out a frustrated scream and rose from the table.  She didn't care if she was locked in a room for three days!  She'd rather be alone than forced to endure hours with these—these—ugh, she couldn't think of a name horrible enough to call those _hateful_ Malfoys.

            "Sit," Draco commanded and grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down into her chair.

            "No!" she said and ripped her hand from Draco's grasp.  She stood for a second time but Draco pulled her down again.

            "You are going to Diagon Alley today," he leaned over and hissed in her ear, "or you'll be locked in a _cell_ until we go back to school."

            Defiantly, Ginny pushed him away.  "I will not go!" She stood again. 

            Suddenly the slightest smirk appeared on Draco's face and Ginny felt her stomach sink.  That smirk only meant one thing; he knew he was going to win.

            "Fine," he drawled, "we still have those green robes you wore in August.  Would you like to wear those?"

            Ginny plopped down in her chair.  She couldn't wear those, she wouldn't!  There were too many times when Draco had unbuttoned those robes.  Back home, her mother had taken the robes she had escaped in and torn them up to use as rags.

            "Fine," she mumbled and looked down.

            "What was that?" Draco chuckled.

            "I said fine!" she yelled in frustration. Fine, she'd go with that horrid woman and buy robes that cost way to much and wear them around and parade about like she was…arg…fine, she'd do it, _fine_! 

            "Good," Mrs. Malfoy said gaily, "let's get going."

            "Are we going by floo?"  Ginny asked snidely.

            "Floo?" Narcissa exclaimed, "Oh no, we travel everywhere by portkey.  That reminds me—Lucius did you arrange for a portkey for Ginny and me?"  Ginny crossed her arms angrily.  How dare they assume that she would just go?  Though, she probably should have expected that Narcissa would immediately plan an expedition to Diagon Alley so she could dress her up. Narcissa's displeasure with her and her mother's clothing hadn't surpassed Ginny's attention.

            Lucius nodded and produced a tattered looking quill.  "It's not active for another fifteen minutes," he said, checking his pocket watch. 

            "Virginia darling, why don't you go put on a little make-up," Narcissa suggested.

            "_Don't_ call me darling!" Ginny said, but she went to put make-up on all the same.  She usually wore make-up out anyways.  As she wondered through the halls to her chamber, she thought about what had just taken place.  It was nice, for a change, to not be crying.  Somehow, the Malfoys had riled her up enough where she was fighting again, and the baby wasn't bothering her nearly as much.  She supposed it was the potion Lucius had given her, now it only felt like a couple of extra pounds.  It felt good to put up a decent fight again.  No, Draco Malfoy would not conquer her.  If she was stuck here married to Malfoy, she was going to give them a run for their money.

            "Virginia, the portkey is going to activate," Mrs. Malfoy said as she glided into Ginny and Draco's chamber.  Ginny nodded and allowed herself to be pulled by the navel to Diagon Alley.  They landed with a thump right in Madam Malkin's robe shop.

            "Ahh, Mrs. Malfoy, and young Mrs. Malfoy," Madam Malkin said nodding at each of them respectively, "I was expecting you."  Madam Malkin set to work, fitting Ginny in a plethora of robes she knew she would never use.  Well, Ginny _Weasley_ may not ever use them, but she was quite certain that Ginny _Malfoy_ would have several, rather boring and dreadful occasions to attend, where she would have to wear the robes.  Mrs. Malfoy bought her several simple work robes in varying colors, along with some dress robes, which Ginny had to rather guiltily admit to herself, she liked.

            They left the robe shop, but the return portkey wasn't active for another two hours. So, Ginny was forced to endure Mrs. Malfoy's shopping trip, during which, Mrs. Malfoy bought Ginny new school things.  She wanted to protest and ask what was wrong with her old ones, but two things stopped her.  First, the contract wouldn't let her, and second she knew what was wrong with her old ones.  They were old and battered, like everything she owned.  In fact, new school things would have been greatly appreciated had it not been Mrs. Malfoy who was buying them for her.  She smiled to herself, to think, after years of wanting nothing more than to get a new set of robes, and some new crisp books and parchment, she now wanted nothing more than her old second hand robes and books held together by spell-o-tape.  The duo wondered into Flourish & Blotts where Ginny let herself get lost between the aisle and aisles of books.  She found herself in the fiction section, where she selected a book about a muggle born witch who never got her Hogwarts letter.  Books about muggles always interested her; it must be her father's influence.  While Narcissa was getting the owner's help with a book she wanted called _Brewing Beauty_: _A simple guide to brewing beauty potions_, Ginny found a nice little niche in the corner where she could sit and read.  It was a marvelous book.  The girl was a free spirit, and an only child.  Ginny got lost in its pages. In her mind she became the girl, going where she pleased, and dating who she wanted.

~

            Narcissa checked her small wristwatch in annoyance.  What was taking this man so long?  Her portkey was going to be activated in any moment.  Lucius had taught her to Apparate in their first year of marriage, but she hated it and rarely did.  As soon as the owner handed her the book, she threw some gold into his hand and left.  She still needed to pick up some singing ink to address invitations in.  Just in the knick of time, she got the ink, paid the man, and grabbed the portkey.  Two seconds later she was standing in the dinning hall of her Manor.  A house-elf was there to greet her, so she dropped her packages into his little arms and beckoned it to follow her.  She had taken a few steps towards her bedroom when she felt her stomach sink.  Where was Virginia?  Oh!  She must have wandered off and lost her on purpose.  That ill-mannered little simpleton!  Well, she could find her own way back.  In a huff, she walked to her chambers.

~

            Ginny stretched and checked her watch, then went back to reading.  She read about three sentences, then stopped when what her watch read registered.  It couldn't be!  Was it really two o'clock already?  But, the portkey had been scheduled to activate at 1:45!  Maybe her watch was fast.  The clock on the wall read the same thing though.  Indignant and annoyed that she'd been forgotten, she stood, and replacing the book on the shelf, walked towards the Leaky Cauldron.  She supposed she'd have to floo back to the Manor.  If they were going to leave her stranded in Diagon Alley with no means of return, then she had no other choice but to travel by floo and get all sooty.  There was no other way around.  She paid Tom a few sickles that Narcissa had given her and he provided her with the necessary floo powder.  Standing before the fireplace, she was ready to call 'Malfoy Manor,' when a thought hit her.  What if she didn't go to the Malfoy Manor?  She could go back home to Burrow.  Who's to say that she wasn't acting in the Malfoys' best interest?  After all, she had never been _told_ that the Malfoys had a floo fireplace in their house.  If she tried to travel to a fireplace that didn't exist she could end up in some strangers house.  Wouldn't _that_ be embarrassing?  Of course, she knew they did in fact have a floo fireplace, as Harry had visited her a few times via floo in August, but they didn't know that.  Yes, she'd visit the Burrow.

            "The Burrow!" she called, and in a woosh, she was gone.

~

            Harry sat at the kitchen table playing gobstones with Fred, George, Hermione, and Ron.  It probably wasn't the best game for that particular lot to be playing on a day when they were so distracted.  Everyone was considerably smelly and appeared to be splattered with dark ink.  His mind was on Ginny, and he suspected everyone else's was, too.  What had she been forced to endure last night?  If Malfoy had hurt her he'd—he'd, well he didn't know what he would do, not for lack of ideas, but because he couldn't think of anything bad enough for him except maybe for the Dementor's kiss, and Harry didn't fancy finding one for Malfoy to snog.  He was just wiping the nasty liquid from his face and getting ready to aim a gobstone at Hermione when he heard someone clamor out of the fireplace.

            "Ginny!" he yelled, and jumped up to give her a hug.

            "Ugh Harry!" she said laughing, "you smell horrible!  Are you lot playing gobstones?"

            "Uh huh," Ron supplied.

            "What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

            Ginny smiled and told them all about her Diagon Alley fiasco.  Harry looked at her in amazement.  She looked fine.  Was it possible Malfoy wasn't doing anything to her?  They all sat down and resumed their game, delighted to have Ginny with them again.  Harry desperately wanted to ask about last night but he didn't quite know how to introduce the subject.  Luckily, Hermione found a classy way to mention it.

            "So Ginny, you look, err—good.  I mean, yesterday you were pretty torn up."

            "Yes," Ginny said with a sigh, "I stunned Malfoy last night, so uh—that went okay, and then this morning I had to eat breakfast with them, and they didn't scare me, but they just upset me.  I don't know, it felt good not to be crying."  Everyone nodded in agreement and Harry nodded the most vigorously of them all.  Ginny looked around and had the feeling that they were as sick of her crying as she was, if not more so.  They continued to play, Ginny laughing good naturedly as Harry aimed a stone that shot all over her new robes.

~

            Narcissa checked her watch again.  She hadn't come back yet.  Where was she?  In a moment of desperation, she decided to find her son.  Somehow, she couldn't imagine Lucius being too happy with her for losing Ginny.  She had had to talk Lucius into letting her take the girl out to the dress shop in the first place.  Lucius seemed to think that they could just take the measurements and order her new robes.  Honestly, men didn't know _anything_ about style!  She found Draco in his chamber, retrieving his broom from the closet.

            "Mother," Draco said jumping when he saw her.  She hated it when he played Quidditch and he seemed to know this.  "Have you and Ginny returned?" he asked as a pleasantry.

            "Ginny wondered off," she said without ceremony, "I suggest you go find her."

            "Damnit!" Draco swore and threw his broom back into the closet.  "Why'd you return without her?" he asked sharply.

            "Don't talk to me like that Draco Thomas.  I was on a portkey and running out of time.  When I realized she wasn't back with me I assumed she'd find her way back by floo."

            Draco's shoulders slumped and he angrily ran a hand though his hair.

            "Does Father know?" he asked her.

            "No, I thought I'd give her a chance for you to find her first."  Draco nodded in agreement.  Ginny telling them all to shut up at Breakfast was something Lucius could laugh at, but Ginny wandering around Diagon Alley by herself was a completely different matter.

            "She can't be doing to much," Narcissa said, "that contract won't let her do anything too embarrassing. "  

            Draco nodded in agreement and then after a moment's pause asked where she'd last had her.

            Narcissa thought back, "Flourish and Blotts" she finally replied.

            "Right then, I'll start from there."  Moments later, Draco had the invisibility cloak on and was ready to Apparate into Diagon Alley.  He Apparated into the little alleyway his father had shown him after his first attack last August, hid the invisibility cloak there, and set off down Diagon Alley.  He didn't find her in Flourish and Blotts, nor in Quality Quidditch Supplies, nor Madam Malkin's.  Annoyed, he went into the Leaky Cauldron and ordered a butterbeer.  Ideally, he'd have ordered something else, but he didn't want any alcohol dulling his senses and decreasing his chances of finding her, and probably giving her a few good licks in the behind when he did.  How dare she run off like that?  Why, when he found--

            "Looking for your wife Mr. Malfoy?" an old voice interrupted his thoughts.

            "Huh?" he said snapping back to reality.

            "You looked distressed.  Your wife came in here a little bit ago looking a bit distressed herself.  She flooed to her parents' house." Tom told him.

            Draco was going to strangle her.  That horrible little whore had gone to see Potter!

            "Uh thanks," he said and got up to leave.  "That's useful, but I still have to get something, and she's safe at her parents home.  I'll have to go there and tell Virginia how to get back to Manor," he chuckled good naturedly, "I don't think she's ever come back to the Manor by floo.  We usually travel by portkey."  Tom nodded and Draco left the Leaky Cauldron, tapping his wand on the bricks to get back into Diagon Alley.  In no time, he had the invisibility cloak back on and he popped into the Burrow.

~

            Mrs. Weasley had fixed them some pumpkin tarts, before leaving with Arthur to see Bill and Charlie off. They were all eating it, picking it up carefully with whatever fingers had escaped the gobstone's spray.  Ginny, who had her leg firmly wrapped around Harry's, was just beginning to nibble on one when there was a pop.

            "Do you have any _idea_ how much trouble you're in?" the unmistakable voice of Draco Malfoy hissed as he pulled off an invisibility cloak.

            For a split second, she considered pretending to be happy to see him, pretending that she had had no clue what to do when she noticed Narcissa was gone.  He had believed her in August.  Would he be naïve enough to fall for it again?  But she didn't feel like lying to him again. That game of deception had worn on her, and she didn't fancy playing another one.

            Instead she coolly replied, "you can't punish me.  You're not my parent.  I obviously didn't do anything wrong because the contract let me do it."

            Draco ignored her and went on.  "You're just lucky Mother told me before she told Father."

            "Watch it Malfoy," one of the twins said as they both arose in unison, "the only thing that contract prevents us from doing is telling someone else about it.  There's nothing in there that forbids us from giving you a good beating."

            Draco looked at the Weasley brothers; their barks were bigger than their bites.  They wouldn't dare touch him, but as they slowly advanced on him, this resolution became harder and harder to hold.

            "Come on," he simply said, grabbing Ginny's hand and starting towards the fireplace, "let's get back to the Manor before Father returns.  He's away right now but he'll be back soon."  Ginny wrenched her wrist from his grasp and stared at him.

            "I'm saying goodbye first," she said with her chin held high in defiance. 

            Draco sighed, but as he breathed in deeper he got a whiff of something foul in the air.

            "Were you all playing gobstones?" he asked in disbelief.  Gobstones was a game for small children.  He hadn't played them since before he went to Hogwarts, but a few of the first year Slytherins were still uncivilized enough to play them.  So, the smell was familiar enough.

            "Yes," Ginny said, a slight smile on her face.  She had annoyed him and she knew it.  She was so insufferable.  He'd teach her a lesson.

            "Do you have a bath in this place?" he asked, putting his hand on his temples and messaging them.

            "No, we all go and hose down in the back yard," one of the twins said.

           It took Draco a second to realize that he was being sarcastic.  "Go shower," he commanded Ginny.

            "I will not be ordered around like a house-elf!  I'm a fully—"

            "Fine," Draco snapped, "Go back to the Manor smelling like manure.  We'll go straight to Father and see what he says.  He'll be thrilled you didn't keep track of Mother.  If you're a fully grown adult you should be able to keep up with Mother."

            Ginny stared at him for a while and then Her mouth pursed into a line that could rival McGonagall and she stormed upstairs to the bath.  Even more annoyed at her attitude, Draco called after her.

            "And just be happy that I'm not coming up there with you."

            "No no, Malfoy," one of the twins spoke up, "_you_ should be happy that you're not going up there with her."

            "Oh shut up will you?" he drawled, "I'm her husband.  I've a right to do whatever I—"

            "No, as her husband, you have a right not to get beaten into smithereens if we catch you with your hands on her and she tells us not to touch you.  You DO NOT have a right to do whatever you like to her."

             Draco ignored them, and plopped down into a chair, taking a pumpkin tart from a nearby tray and popping the whole thing in his mouth.

            "Oh please, won't you sit down Malfoy.  Insult us then eat our food.  Would you like some wine with that, too?" Ron spoke up bitterly.

            "Yeah, if you got some," he replied.  His father would be appalled if he could see him, but he didn't care.  He was too angry at Ginny for making him come here, and ever angrier for making him stay here.  If she thought he hadn't seen her leg wrapped around Potter's she had another thing coming.  What was he thinking?  Why hadn't he just taken her last night?  What's more, what had come over her?  Last night she was all shaking and crying, and today she was little miss collected.  He sighed again (wrinkling his nose at the smell); she had done this last August, too.  At first she had been very frightened, then the next time he saw her, she was all laughter and mirth.  What was it with that girl?  He'd take her tonight and teach her a lesson.  He'd force her struggling little body down on the ground and—but what if she didn't struggle, what if she laughed at him, or laid there like a corpse?  What would he do then?  He'd find something.  He still had her wand from this morning, and if she thought she was going to get it back before they were boarding the Hogwart's Express, she was dead wrong.  They only had today, and then tomorrow they were boarding the train for school, but he would do everything in his power to make sure tonight was hell for Ginny.  Soon, the game of gobstones resumed around Draco. He knew they were shooting them towards him on purpose.  So he moved and sat in one of the rather uncomfortable couches in the living room.  Couldn't these people even afford proper furniture? _'Or a proper Christmas tree_,' he thought, looking at their lopsided tree adorned with a mismatched jumble of homemade ornaments and decorations.  And were those actually _muggle_ lights on the tree?  He shook his head and thought of his beautiful ten-meter, perfectly shaped tree, standing in their ballroom with the most expensive glass ornaments galleons could buy, and tinny blue fairies fluttering obediently in their perfectly calculated spots.

            Ginny emerged from the stairwell with her hair still wet, and her robes still stained.  Draco had only seen Ginny with her hair wet once, and it had had quite an affect on him.  He cleared his throat; nothing had changed.

            "Fred, George," she said, "put a drying spell on my hair would you?  Mum's not here."

            Fred, or George, Draco wasn't sure which one, stepped forward and dried her hair.  

           "Let's go," he said, and started towards the fireplace, grabbing her wrist. 

           She yanked her hand away. "I'm saying goodbye first," she insisted again.

            "Fine, but make it fast," he said.  Ginny, however, took her merry time saying goodbye to each one of her brothers in turn, then turned, and took her merry time saying goodbye to Hermione and finally Potter.  Draco kept his eyes on her and Potter the whole time, but she simply said a friendly goodbye, and joked with him about making sure she won at gobstones next time.  Although Draco didn't appreciate that it was _Potter _she was joking with, he couldn't help but agree.  No wife of his was ever going to play gobstones again, and if she did, she would most certainly win. Draco grabbed his cloak, found the floo powder, and was just about to throw some into the fire when he suddenly realized what a stupid thing he was doing.

            "You wait here," he told Ginny, "I'm going to Apparate back to the Manor and make sure my father isn't in the study."  Draco popped away under the invisibility cloak.

~

            Ginny couldn't help but think what a silly idea that was, because the instant she heard the pop announcing his departure, she pulled Harry to her by the collar and gave him a kiss on the lips whispering, "I'll see you soon!"  Her brothers looked a little hesitant, but it was _Ginny_ who pulled Harry to _her_, so they let it go.  Ginny was back in her place by the time Malfoy returned.

            "Come on," he said motioning her towards the fire, "you first," Ginny gave Harry a wink, making sure Draco saw it, and threw some powder into the fire calling out "Malfoy Manor!" She landed with a thud in Mr. Malfoy's study and thought how silly it was for Draco to make her take a shower when she was now covered fully in ashes.  Draco appeared next to her a second later.  He cast a cleansing spell on her, that didn't fully get rid of the ashy smell, and then cast one on himself.

            "You ought to get a solid beating," Draco said through gritted teeth as he pulled Ginny along by her upper arm.  She tried to wrench it away from his grasp, but his grip was stronger than she predicted, and with each attempt she made to free herself, he only tightened his grip.  A trickle of panic started to worm its way in.  Draco wouldn't really beat her, would he?  What if he did worse?  Her thoughts were just turning frightening when Draco stopped in front of a large door.  He opened it and tossed her inside.  Ginny stumbled but righted herself in time to turn and see Draco say, "be glad it's not a cell," and shut the door.  Ginny heard him mutter a charm.  She looked around to take in her surroundings and her stomach sank.  The room was pink, and oddly familiar.  She sat down on the canopy bed and tried to slow her breathing.  Draco had shut her in her pink prison from August. 

**A/N: **If you'd like to be added to the e-mail update notice list, just say so and leave your e-mail in the review. **IMPORTANT!** **If you reviewed chapter 11 asking for a update notice and you didn't get one this time REVIEW THIS CHAPTER and say so!**  Fanfiction.net won't let me see 12 of my reviews so I could have missed you. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

            "Calm down," she said aloud to herself.  "You have to go back to School, he can only keep you in here for another 20 hours at most.  You just need something to do to pass the time."  She wasn't sure why she was talking to herself, other than it made her feel better, but all the same, her little dialogue served to calm her nerves and force her brain to start working on a plan.  She'd do some studying.  Yes, she had plenty of topics to research.  She could keep herself occupied with that, and then, she could get on the train tomorrow, and at least see Harry, Ron and Hermione, if not sit with them.

            "Zally!" she called out and with a pop, the prompt little elf appeared in front of her.

            "Yes, Young Mrs. Malfoy Ma'am?"

            "Go get my school stuff from my room!" she commanded.

~

            Zally popped away into Young Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy's suite hastily.  She knew what was going on between her young master and new young mistress, but young master hadn't yet commanded her not to bring Ginny her things, and she intended on doing it before he did.  Sure, she'd have to iron her fingers for it later, but she could still do it.  She liked Ginny. No, she wasn't a shameful elf like that Dobby (Zally cheeks still burned in shame when she thought about ever associating with him); but she did like having to serve Ginny, because Ginny never kicked her.  Sure, she yelled and was cross sometimes, but she never hurt Zally.  She was just gathering the rest of Mistress's books when something caught her eye.  There, hidden by one of Master Draco's disregarded Quidditch robes on the floor, was young Mistress's wand.  That was a school item, wasn't it?  Young Mistress Ginny used it for school purposes, right?  Without another thought, Zally grabbed the wand and popped back into young Mistress's room.  Young Mistress was in the bathroom when she returned, so she plopped the books on the table.  Ideally, she would have waited to see the look of approval on young Mistress's face when she discovered her wand, but she felt herself being summoned somewhere else by young Master Malfoy.

~

            Draco stalked back to his room calling for Zally.  He'd teach Ginny a lesson.  He'd put Virginia Weas-no-Malfoy back in her place.  She was his wife and if she thought she could wink at Potter like that…  he should have cursed him right there and made Ginny watch.  He smiled, thinking of her reaction as she watched Potter twitch on the floor.

            "Yes Young Master Malfoy sir?" The elf said appearing beside him.

            "Don't give Ginny anything," he commanded harshly. "No food, no books, don't even come to her when she calls."  The elf nodded but it was fidgeting much more than he would have liked.

            "You already gave her something, didn't you?" he asked sharply.

            The elf squeaked and pulled nervously on one of its ears.

            "What did she ask you for?"

            "H-her school books, Young Master Draco sir," the elf provided and wrung its hands in its miserable little sack.

            Draco gave a tremendous yell and kicked the elf clear across the room. 

            "GO GET THEM BACK!" he yelled pointing a finger towards the door.

            "Her school books, young Master Malfoy sir?"

            "Yes her school books, and any quills, parchment or ink you brought her, too."  The wretched little creature squeaked and popped away.  She'd take back the _books quills, parchment and ink_, but nothing else—and she supposed she'd iron her toes now, too.

            Draco seethed and paced the room.  Tonight, he'd teach her a lesson, but first he'd let her grow slightly panicky in that room.

~

            Ginny came out of the bathroom and found her school stuff on the table, slightly surprised to see that Zally had brought her all of her old school things and not her new ones.  She was still a little confused in Transfiguration, so she went to pull out her text when she noticed what was on top of the pile.  _Her wand._  That little elf had brought her her wand!  She was just thinking how much she could just kiss Zally when the object of her adoration popped up.

            "Master Draco Sir has told me to take back _anything you asked for_." Zally stressed.

            Ginny, getting the hint put her wand in her pocket and allowed Zally to pop away with her books.  She'd find someway to thank her later.  Who cared about books when she had her wand with her?

            "_Alohamora!" _she said towards the door, then went to open it, but her hand burnt. 

            "Shit," she said, he'd use the same charm as last time, which meant she'd have to wait for Draco himself to be in the room.  No matter.  She went to the bed and pulled out the old battered page that Hermione had ripped out of the book from where she'd hidden it in August.  She'd simply stun Draco when he came in and perform the charm.

~

            Draco was pacing back and forth.  He really should have been sleeping, because he'd only gotten three or four real hours of sleep last night due to Ginny's stunning spell, but he was just too angry at Ginny to do so.  His hands just ached to leave reminders of whose wife she was all over that translucent freckled skin.  Last time, back in August, he'd left bite marks.  He would this time, too, but they wouldn't just be on her neck.  No, she'd remember, for weeks after this, every time she changed she'd remember.  You don't play games with Draco Malfoy, and you act like a Malfoy should in public, none of this silly Gobstones or wandering off.  Finally, when he couldn't take the anticipation anymore, he grabbed his broom and headed off to the pitch.  He flew, looped, and zigzagged until nightfall came and the warming spells on his robes had begun to ware off.  Then, he landed and trudged up to Ginny's room.  He threw open the door only to find Ginny poised with her wand pointed right at his forehead.  He didn't have time to so much as begin to reach for his wand before she had stupefied him.  

            Ginny smirked, as she looked at Draco's unconscious body.  So far the score was in her favor: Draco: 0 Ginny: 2.  She hadn't needed to study the charm.  Draco hadn't even had the chance to shut the door before she stupefied him. So she flounced right over him and went to sleep in her bed alone, making sure to put a locking charm on the door.

~

            Draco awoke on the floor again.   It was beginning to become a familiar feeling, and whenever one is constantly coming out of stunning spells on floors, one is in trouble.  He put his hand up to his head.  The Little Whore had done it again.  '_I'll teach her a lesson,' _his sleep deprived brain thought, '_just as soon as,' _yawn, '_just as soon as I shut,'_ yawn, '_shut my eyes for a few seconds…' _ 

            Draco Malfoy awoke hours later with winter sunlight streaming in on him.  He blinked.  How did it get light all of the sudden?  He blinked again and everything came swarming back.  Ginny had stupefied him again, and more details came as he remembered dozing off because he was just too tired.  '_Damn_,' he thought checking his pocket watch, it was 9am, he'd have to leave for the Hogwarts Express in just a few minutes if he wanted to make it to the platform on time.   Groaning, he got up and made his way to his chambers to find Ginny sitting at his small bedside table, her face, of course, adorned with a mocking smile.

            "Morning," she called pleasantly, 'did you sleep well?"

            Draco growled, "That was some stunt you pulled.  You're lucky Father didn't find out about this.  He wouldn't be too happy about it if he knew."

            "Yes, I don't imagine he'd like hearing how _I've_ stunned _you_ two nights out of two.  The house-elves packed your trunk for you because I told them you didn't want to be woken-up."  

            Draco looked at her shrewdly.  "You'd be quiet if you knew what was good for you," he snarled.

            "What's good for me?  Did we not just mention that you're the one who can't stand-up to me?  You're stronger sure, but I'm faster with a wand.  Face it you're worthless and you're—"

            But her comments had crossed the line and Draco's patience snapped.  He grabbed his wife's body and shoved her up against the post of the bed.  He forced his mouth onto hers, using one hand to hold her jaw open.  The other was prying her fingers off her wand until it fell to the floor with a helpless little clunk, which he knew made Ginny's stomach drop.  He smiled into their forced kiss as he felt her body begin to tremble under his, and felt a few of her hot tears fall down her face.  He broke their kiss and gathered her hands at the wrist forcing them above her head.  Ginny's chest was heaving and she was back to her crying state.  Draco felt a surge of power rush over him.  Ginny wasn't so tuff.

            Ginny felt the familiar panic surge through her.  The bedpost was being forced into her back as a result of Draco's weight upon her.  He held both of her wrists in one of his hands, while the other was still clutching her jaw.

            "I should have just taken you the first night," he said to her as if the idea had just dawned on him, "because you're obviously scared of me, otherwise you wouldn't be trembling like this, now would you?"  Ginny shook her head, too scared to be witty or to defy him.  "Now, who can't stand up to whom?" he asked and pressed her harder into the bedpost.  She winced, shutting her eyes against the pain, trying to concentrate on the fact that Draco hadn't _really_ done anything to her.  "Next time you're thinking of talking to me like that, just remember who would really win if he chose to exercise his power," he whispered harshly as he slipped his hand under her shirt.  Ginny began to writhe under him.

            "No, no.  We have to leave.  You have to let me go.  You have to.  I'll—I'll—" but Ginny didn't continue.  What could she do, besides mock him?  Draco crashed his mouth into hers again.  The collision violently forcing her head back to hit the bedpost.  She closed her eyes in response to the pain and fear.  His mouth went to her neck and he bit.

            "Now I have to go and shower," he said backing away slowly and letting go of her hands so they fell uselessly to her side.  "Are you showered already?" she nodded but he could hardly see it.  Her head was turned to the side and she had her eyes locked on the ground to the left of him, apparently trying to avoid him completely.  "Good.  Is your trunk packed?"

            Another minor nod.

            "Good," he repeated.  "I want you ready to leave in ten minutes, and call a house-elf to bring me my breakfast." He paused, waiting for her to answer.  "Is that clear?" he asked.

            "Y-yes," Ginny stuttered out.

            "Good," he said maliciously, "good."  And he walked off towards the bathroom.  Somehow, Ginny managed to stay standing until he'd closed the door, by clutching onto the bedpost behind her back for support.  As soon as she heard the sound of the water running, she slid down to the floor, bringing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them.  She should have known that was what was coming.  Draco could only be pushed so far before he'd snap.  Luckily, he'd snapped at an inopportune time for himself.  Sure, she'd have to sit with him on the Hogwarts Express, but he couldn't do anything then, and she'd be at her house table for the Welcoming Feast and then she'd sleep in Gryffindor tower, surrounded by friends, family, and Harry.  She clutched at the necklace she'd gotten from him for Christmas.  In the rush of the wedding and these last few days, she'd actually forgotten about it, but now it was hanging from her neck, as a nice reminder that Draco Malfoy didn't own her.  Yes, legally, he had a tidy little contract that bound her to him, but she'd never _really_ be his.  She stood up, wiping her eyes and tucking a stray piece of red hair behind her ear.  With a meager call, she summoned Zally to her and instructed her to bring another breakfast tray.  So what if she couldn't act as if Malfoy was a silly little boy. That wasn't going to make her go back to crying.  No, she would simply ignore him.  Bored, she dug out a novel and started to read.  It wasn't what Mum would call 'proper,' but it was still sinfully good, filled with rippling pictorials and heaving bosoms.  A sigh escaped her lips, as she slipped deeper in the novel, wishing she could be whisked away by some knight in shinning armor.

            "Ready?" Draco said emerging from the bathroom.  Ginny glanced up only to see that Draco had decided not to don a towel.  She blushed furiously and buried her nose back in her novel, which didn't help much, considering she was just getting to the part where the 'throbbing manhood,' was going to meet the heroine's 'budding flower.' 

            Draco chuckled, then went to his wardrobe and drew out a sleek set of robes.

            "What are you reading?" he asked as he dressed.

            "Romance novel," she muttered, not wishing to be disturbed.

            "Where did you get it?"

            "Diagon Alley, September," she supplied.

            "Well put it away.  We're leaving."

            Ginny obeyed, closing her trunk again, making sure to put the novel on top so she could read on the train.  But she didn't get the chance to read it.  Pansy Parkinson sat next to her on the train and chatted about the most _useless_ things ever.  Sure it wasn't out of character for Ginny to indulge in the 'who's dating who' game every so often, and she even enjoyed an occasional go through the robe catalogues, but what Pansy was doing was excessive.  What's worse, Draco's arm stayed wrapped around her the entire time, and whenever she'd start to slump just the tiniest bit, Draco would pinch her side and call her back to attention.  Of course, she couldn't tell him to stop, or glare at him.  So, she had to endure it the whole day.  Talking to Pansy was so made that she would have almost rather talked to Draco, but he was engaged in conversation with Edward Avery and Blaise Zabini. The only break she got from Pansy's mindless chatter was when she excused herself to go to the bathroom, and Draco declared that he would go with her.  Once she was done, she didn't feel like standing in the corridor just waiting for Draco. With a devious little smile, she set off down the train to stick her head into Ron and Harry's compartment; however, passing her own, Pansy's squeaky voice caught her attention.

            "She obviously has no class.  I can't imagine Draco volunteering to marry her."

            "I know!  That hair is just horrible." Elizabeth Avery, Edward Avery's twin sister, responded in earnest.

            "At least she brushed it today.  It usually looks like a dragon set her scalp on fire."  Ginny scoffed, thinking of the numerous times Zally had run the brush through her hair.  Her scalp _felt_ like it had been set on fire because of it.

            "I can't believe Draco _Malfoy_ married that little piece of trash.  She's nothing but a Muggle- lover."

            "Well we all know where she really was this August—" Ginny blanched, she _knew _about that? "—maybe she put some love spell on him, that's the only reason I can think that Draco _Malfoy_ would marry her.  I mean this is the _Malfoy _line we're talking about here."

            "I can't imagine what Lucius Malfoy was thinking."

            "I can," Pansy said dropping her voice, so Ginny was forced to press her ear closer to the door, while inside she heard the rustle of Elizabeth's robes as she scooted nearer to Pansy.

            "Around midnight, two days after we got back home for the holidays, I was up to get a drink of water when I heard voices in my father's study.  Naturally, I stopped—"

           "WHY are you standing outside the compartment?" Draco voice hissed in her ear.  Ginny jumped a good foot into the air and turned to see Draco glaring at her, looking very cross. 

            "Shhh," Ginny said.  "They're talking about me."  Draco rolled his eyes, but took her wand from her pocket, said a spell, and handed it to her.

            "Here, don't push your ear up against the door like an imbecile.  Use a wand like a proper witch would."

           Ginny in turn, glared at him, but pushed the wand up to her ear to listen anyways, while Draco did the same spell using his wand.

            "—as it turns out," Pansy was saying, "Draco's father was there to talk to my father about Draco and my betrothal."

            "What?" Elizabeth gasped, and Ginny even heard the dull chatter of the boys in the compartment die down.  Beside her, Draco stiffened.

            "Apparently," Pansy said with a snobby air about her that Ginny didn't like, "our parents had an agreement that our families were good for one another.  Then that little Muggle-lover came in and Mr. Malfoy left my father out in the cold."

            "But why?"

            "Well we know what the papers were saying, but I don't believe that for an instant."

            "Too right.  _I'm_ certainly not buying that they were so in love that they just had to be married right away.  I think Lucius Malfoy did it because he wanted to get to her father.  You know how many Muggle attacks there have been lately; there's no way that that muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley possibly prosecute Lucius Malfoy.  Ginny felt her blood start to boil.

            "All the same, she won't last two minutes with _us_," Ginny had the feeling the 'us,' didn't refer to only the people in the compartment.  "We'll make sure of that."  Ginny had a feeling that the girls could have continued to discuss her faults for hours had Draco not stiffened next to her and opened the door, causing both Ginny and the inhabitants of the compartment to jump.

            "Pansy, Elizabeth, Blaise, you'll excuse us won't you?  Edward and I need to have a discussion."  The girls and Blaise filed past Draco, dropping their wands into his outstretched hand.  Draco shut the door again, leaving Ginny outside with the three Slytherins.  The girls had no qualms about sending Ginny vicious looks, while Blaise just stood by Elizabeth Avery, who he seemed to be very interested in.  Their looks got worse when they realized that Ginny still had her wand and was pressing it up to her ear, while they were forced to listen the 'nasty Muggle way.'

            "Keep your sister under control Avery."  Draco said as he stood over Edward.  He wasn't going to have anyone talking about Ginny that way.  She was his and also a Malfoy.  Draco wouldn't hear of any Malfoy being ridiculed, and what he owned was the best, thus Ginny was the best.

            "It was Pansy, too," Edward tried to reason.

            "Well if Elizabeth shuts up, Pansy won't have anyone to talk to will she?"

            "Er-no."

            "So tell her to shut her trap."

            Edward swallowed and nodded.

            The rest of the train ride went smoothly.  Elizabeth Avery only made one snide remark to her, but received a quick kick in the shins by her brother, and when Pansy made a similar comment later, she received such a death glare from Draco that it gave Ginny the chills.  Hogwarts looming in front of her was a warm sight.  As much as she hated it before and craved the comfort of home, she welcomed it now.  Here, she could sit with her brother and friends, sleep in Gryffindor tower, and pretty much avoid Draco until weekends.  Her side was just itching to be free of Draco's possessive arm.  Sensing this, Draco tightened his grip around her.  Once they reached the Great Hall, Draco kissed her on the cheek, and they parted ways.  She would have run, but the contract wouldn't let her.

            "Hi," Ron said when she plopped (well, intended to plop, but the contract made her sit gracefully down) next to Hermione and across form Harry.  Immediately, Harry's leg found a way to wind around hers under the table where no one could see.  She flashed him a quick smile, glad that the contract would let her do whatever she liked so long as she didn't get caught.

            "Hello," she said pleasantly.

            "You're happy."  Harry said sending her an odd look.

            "I'm here," she said gesturing to the Gryffindor table.  She would have liked to point out that Draco was 'there,' but the contract wouldn't let her.  That didn't stop the trio from getting her point though.  Ginny hadn't been this happy since Christmas, surely, her day at the Burrow was fun, but she knew that was short-lived.  This was for months!  Her smile didn't wear off during the sorting, or the ensuing feast, but once the feast was winding down and the students were beginning to dwindle up to their dormitories, she felt a hand on her shoulder.  A look up revealed Draco Malfoy.

            "Darling," he said, "I thought I'd surprise you.  Father got us our own private room."  It was as if someone opened a valve and the happiness she was feeling spilled out of her feet and onto the floor.

            "That's wonderful," she found herself saying, and then she jumped up and _hugged Draco Malfoy_. Inside, she was panicking.  She needed to think of a reason Draco couldn't touch her.  What could it be?  Ugh, and after she'd figured this one out, she'd have to think of a way to cover any bruises he might leave.  She couldn't very well go Madame Pomfrey and Draco surely didn't—Of course!  Draco Malfoy couldn't touch her.  He'd leave bruises and healing charms are VERY advanced magic.  There was no way Draco could know one.  Draco wound his arm around her waste and led her out of the Great Hall, leaving her to steel a fleeting glance towards Harry, Ron and Hermione's fallen faces.  On her way, she memorized which turns to take and wondered if the room was on Harry's map.

            Draco enjoyed feeling Ginny beside him.

            "You know," she spoke up when they were well away from the rest of the inhabitants of the castle, "I hope you don't think you're going to rape me tonight."  The couple actually paused for a second as Draco stopped to look at Ginny.  Her tone didn't meet his approval.

            "Excuse me?"

            "I know what you're thinking, and I just thought I'd let you know you can't before we get into the room and you get too riled up."

            "Excuse me?" he said again.

            "Well I'm not just going to let you, obviously, and if you try and force me, you're only going to leave bruises."  There was a silence, where Ginny felt Draco's hand clamping down on her side.  He was getting her drift, but she continued anyways.  "You don't know any healing charms I'm sure, and you don't have any bruise diminishing potion either.  I can't very well walk around with bruises all over, or people are going to start asking questions."

            "I'll ask Professor Snape," Draco said, "he's on our side.  I'm sure he'll give me any potion I need."

            Ginny felt her stomach sink.  Although she knew from Harry that Professor Snape was really a double agent, she didn't doubt that he'd give Malfoy his potion.  Why would he risk his position to keep Ginny from doing her 'wifely duties?'  Truthfully, she wasn't one hundred percent sure that the contract wouldn't stop her from struggling and take care of it for Draco anyways. 

            Draco smiled; he'd won this battle.  He was actually a little relieved that he couldn't get the potion until tomorrow and thus couldn't do anything tonight.  After being under stunning spells for most of the night, and being scared to fall asleep on the train for fear that Ginny might run off to Potter, he'd only gotten about five or six hours of sleep these last few days.

            "December 31, 1997," he said when he had reached the door to their room.

            "Is that the password?" Ginny bulked.

            "Yes, it's our anniversary.  Father thought it would be sweet."

            "I know it's our anniversary!" Ginny snapped.  How could she forget the worse day of her life?

            The door opened to reveal a room that neither of them was quite pleased with.  Draco would say it was too small, and Ginny's complaint was the number of beds: one.

            Ginny lay awake that night, thinking, It was going to be a long year, spent locked in this little room with Draco Malfoy.  Next to her, his sleeping figure was breathing evenly.  Funny, he almost looked human when he slept.  Her hand found her swelled belly.  What kind of father would he be?  Lucius, though horrible, seemed to be a decent father in his own right.  Well, it depended what the criteria was.  If raising one's child to rape girls and become a Death Eater was bad, well then, Lucius was a horrific father, but if the criteria was spending time with the child, carrying how it was doing in school, and providing for it, she guessed Lucius was a superb father.  It was really too bad that the contract forbade her from raising the children how she saw fit.  Now that she was forced into marriage with Draco, the idea of a baby wasn't that appalling.  Of course, she'd rather the baby's father be ANYONE else, but what was really so wrong with a child?

            "I'll protect you," she whispered patting her belly.

A/N: If you'd like to be added to the e-mail update notice list, just leave your e-mail in your review.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

***WARNING* **STORY WILL LIVE UP TO ITS R RATING IN THIS CHAPTER.  DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU!   ***WARNING***

            Harry Potter sat at the Gryffindor table and glared at Draco walking hand in hand with Ginny towards them.  He kissed her on the cheek and parted.

           "Hey," Harry said.

           "Hi," she said quietly and sat down.

           "Are you _okay,_" he stressed.  Meaning of course, 'did that bastard touch you.'

            She nodded and simply said, "I worked everything out to be okay, but I don't know for how long."

            Harry didn't like the sound of that.  What on earth did she mean 'I don't know for how long?'  Lately, it had taken all of Harry's control not to possessively grab Ginny and move to Australia with her.  It maddened him that Draco was able to even be in the same proximity of her when he should be rotting away in Azkaban sharing a bed with a Dementor, not Ginny, not _his_ _Ginny._  And Ginny was, in a matter of speaking, 'his.'  She'd willingly given him her heart, and although he didn't possess Ginny, they belonged to one another.  Just as she was his, he was Ginny's. 

            "Would you all like to go for a walk around the lake and visit Hagrid?" Hermione spoke up, interpreting Ginny's sentence the same way Harry had.

            "But it's too cold—oaf" Ron said, cutting himself off as he received a violent kick under the table from Hermione. "Er-rather-sure!  That'd be lovely."

            "Sounds good," Harry spoke up.

            "Gin?"

            "I'll have to tell Draco," she informed them all in a voice that was far too chipper to be under her own influence.

            "Right, we'll wait for you here." Ron said.

             Ginny arose, knowing Draco would say no, and that she'd be forced to spend the whole weekend alone with him.

            "Hello," Draco said as she approached.

            "Hi Honey," she said sweetly, "you wouldn't mind if I go for a stroll with my brother, would you?"

            Draco didn't really believe she was going for a stroll with just Ron, and would have loved to tell her no, but he had no reason to do so.  When she phrased the question like that, there was no possible way to tell her now without breaking face.  His father had said in no uncertain terms that part of the reason for this marriage was to make it appear as if the Weasleys and the Malfoys were getting along.  When _that_ was the aim, he couldn't very well go and tell her, 'no, you can't go for a stroll with your horrid long-nosed brother and his mudblood girlfriend while Potter chats you up,' no matter how much he would have liked to.

            She smiled, and Draco had a feeling it was the first genuine, non-mocking smile he'd seen on her in ages.  It sent a morbid hatred through him.  So much so, that he couldn't resist adding, "but hurry back, I have something to talk to Professor Snape about and then we have the whole afternoon to spend together."

            The change in Ginny's face was miniscule, but something behind her eyes dimmed, yet no one could have noticed it if he hadn't been looking for it.

            Thirty minutes later, after cloaks had been gotten, and Ginny had borrowed Lavender Brown's to save herself the trip to her own dormitory, the trio and Ginny were strolling the grounds.

            "What did you mean by _that_?"  Harry asked as soon as they were out of earshot of the rest of the students.  Ginny was walking with her hands in the pockets of Lavender's cloak. So Harry wove his arm through hers and stuck his hand in his pocket; it would appear that they were just walking side by side from far away.  The couples reached the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest and parted.  Ron knew he could see Ginny anytime, and he was willing to sacrifice a little of his time with Ginny so she could be with Harry before the grounds were crowded with students and Ginny and Harry were forced to part.  It was worth the sacrificed time; she did, after all, have that light shinning behind her eyes when she looked at him.

            "I managed to avoid him last night by saying that he would leave bruises because I was going to struggle against him, but he says he's going to Snape to ask for a bruise-diminishing potion."

            "Snape won't give it to him," Harry said, "not if we warn him what it's for."

            "But we can't!" Ginny protested, already having thought of Harry's idea, "Draco's going to ask for it right now."

            "You're strong Ginny," Harry said.  He, by no means liked the idea of Draco touching Ginny, but the truth was truth, and the _truth_ was that Ginny was going to have to deal with Draco at some point.  He'd do everything possible to delay it, and make it the least painful experience he could, but in the end it was up to Ginny to pull through it.

            "But Harry, it's not just sex.  I might be able to deal with that.  He's going to hit me.  Yesterday morning he shoved me up against a bedpost, but he didn't have time to do anything because we had to leave for the Express.  I've said so many things and pushed so many buttons these last few days.  He keeps saying he's going to teach me a lesson.  What'll I do?  I can't and I won't let him do that.  Do you know what that's like?  Do you have _any_ idea?"

            "Of course not!" Harry sputtered, "but you're a strong girl Ginny; you stood up to Tom Riddle, didn't you?"

            Ginny bowed her head; she didn't like talking about Tom Riddle.

            "I can't do this Harry.  I _can't_."

            "But you have to!  It's not going to help you any by telling yourself you'll break if he so much as touches you, because then you _will._  I'll do anything I can for you; I'll fight him, go to Snape about that potion, _anything,_ but in the end, it has to be you." 

            Ginny stopped dead and removed her arm from Harry's, so she could turn to look at him.  "What are you saying?  That I should just accept that I'm Draco's little sex slave and move on?  Just let him abuse and use me whenever he likes, then parade around in public with him like we're the perfect couple?  What am I going to tell my baby, as to why Mummy always has bruises on her and why she can hear screams coming from my bedroom?  Listen to yourself!"

            "Listen to _your_self! You CAN'T think like that.  You have no chance of surviving the rest of this year if you do."  The words were harsh, brutal, and decidedly cruel, but most of all, they were a necessity, and Harry wasn't going to stand back and wait, while Ginny talked herself into letting Draco turn her into a shell of her vibrant happy self.  Words were spilling out of him that he _knew_ really shouldn't be said, things that would make him blush under normal circumstances, but Ginny _needed_ to hear this as straightforward 

            "I can't believe I'm hearing this.  You're actually telling me to let him rape me!" she hissed on account of the contract not allowing her to yell. 

            "I'm telling you not to give him the pleasure of knowing what he's doing to you.  He's sick Ginny_, mentally sick_, if he wants to use sex to teach you a lesson. Do you know what I like about being intimate with you? _YOU!_ I like knowing that I'm causing you make those little sounds of enjoyment, and I like the fact that you're doing the same for me.  Malfoy doesn't get pleasure from things like that!  He gets it from causing you pain!  The easiest way for you to turn me off is to act like all my efforts to get you excited are doing nothing, and I'm willing to bet that the best way to turn Malfoy off is to act like all his efforts to hurt you are doing nothing.  Do you get what I'm saying?  Just go limp, don't react to anything.  It's going to happen sooner or later; you have to admit that. So know what to do when it does.  You're a strong girl Ginny.  You CAN do it, but NOT if you don't think you can."

            "How can you say all those things?"  Ginny, who was now crying uncontrollably asked through her tears.

            Harry sighed wearily, "because it's the truth Ginny.  Deep down, you know it too."

            Ginny nodded and felt the tears start to flow.  Ugh, she cried so much lately!  But the tears ushered in a new feeling, heavy, but not entirely unpleasant.  The knowledge that Harry was right weighed her down, but it somehow filled her with a feeling of safety.  She could do this.  The fight in her was now gone, replaced with the utter weight of what Harry had said.  Draco Malfoy was a sick man; she knew that, but Harry had put everything in a different light.  That didn't change the fact that she didn't want to do it, and it certainly wouldn't make it easy.

            "It's not fair!" she cried and leaned into Harry's arms.

            "I know it's not.  I know," Harry cooed gently.

~

            Professor Snape was sitting in his office reading the latest potions periodical when a knock interrupted his solitude.  More than highly annoyed, he opened the door to find none other than Draco Malfoy.  '_He wants something,'_ he immediately thought, '_and you're going to have to give it to him unless you want him running to that horrible father of his.'_

            "Hello Professor," Malfoy said smoothly.

            "Mr. Malfoy." He nodded, "won't you come in?"

            "Thank you, sir."

            "What brings you down here, Mr. Malfoy?"

            "I was wondering if you had some bruises dispersing potion that I might have?"

            "Bruise-dispersing potion?"

            "Yes, after Quidditch practice I tend to get rather bruised up and I think it will worry my wife."

            Snape didn't believe that for a moment.  There was something VERY fishy about that marriage.  It simply wasn't possible that Ginny volunteered to marry Malfoy; her family was staunchly against Voldemort and the Death Eaters.  Snape knew this; he'd even once contacted her eldest brother Bill to warn him of a possible attack on Gringotts. 

           Snape shrugged and went to his cabinet to retrieve a bottle for him.  Out of all the things he could ask for, bruise- dispersing potion was probably the least conspicuous for Dark Magic.  The thing got rid of love bites. Draco was probably necking with some girl he didn't want Ginny to find out about.  Although, that wouldn't quite work either, because he still doubted that Miss Weasley wanted to be with Draco Malfoy and probably wouldn't care if he were cheating on her.  Then again, she was only sixteen, it was also just as probable that they had a mutual hatred, but misery loves company.  There was no way Lucius was about to let Ginny go around necking with any boy, but he was quite certain Lucius would have no objections to Draco doing the exact same thing with another girl.  Finally satisfied, Snape handed Draco the potion.  Why was it his business if Draco wanted to cheat on Ginny?  It'd take, 'the burden' off her.

            "Thank you sir," he said and left.

            '_Go and fulfill all your adolescent desires,' _he wanted to say, but instead he said, "Any time, Mr. Malfoy."

            He'd only had the time to get thoroughly involved into another article before there was another knock on the door.  He groaned and got up.  Malfoy was not about to get another vial of bruise dispersing potion from him if that's what the little cretins wanted, but when he opened the door, he did not see Malfoy but Potter and his friends. 

            "Mr. Potter," he said curiously.

            "Hi Professor," Harry said somewhat breathlessly, "may we come in?"  Snape stuck his head out of the door and checked the hall before opening the door fully and allowing Potter and Co. to proceed.

            "What's going on Potter?" Snape asked truly worried.  Although Potter and him were NOT on what one would consider friendly terms, they certainly had a mutual agreement to work together to get rid of Voldemort.  Thus, Potter visiting him without notice, especially when he looked like he had been running, was not good news.

            "Listen, you haven't given Malfoy any potions that could get rid of bruises have you?" Harry asked.

            '_Uh-oh, maybe he was using them for more than I thought!'_

            "Why?" he asked aloud.

            Potter's mouth opened and closed a few times, and there was that stubborn glint in his eye again.  He was fighting something, though Snape didn't know what.

            "I can't say," he finally managed to choke out, but his face indicated he'd wanted to say something different.

            "Does it have anything to do with your sister Mr. Weasley?"  There was a silence that followed.

            "I'll take that as a yes." 

            Another silence. 

            "Did you give it to him or not?" Ron asked annoyed.

            "I did," Snape said slowly.

            "Let's go find her," Potter said, and the trio was off.  Snape watched them go, hoping he hadn't put a very dangerous weapon in the hands of Draco Malfoy.

~

            Ginny was desperately trying to fight the contract.  After breakfast and commenced, the grounds flooded with people until it reached the point where Ginny was literally forced to find Ron and Hermione before anyone saw her alone with Harry.  She'd told them about the potion so they'd agreed to go find Snape before Draco did, but as they grew closer and closer to the Potion's dungeon Ginny found herself turning around.  All the contract had let her do was turn her head around and hiss, 'keep going,' to the trio before she threw her hair behind her and flounced upstairs.  She'd hoped that once she was deep enough into the castle and well hidden from on lookers, she'd be able to take a few detours, but apparently there were students this deep in the castle just as there had been in the dungeons.  She was headed straight back towards her room.  '_Don't let him break you!'_ she told herself.  A good five feet from her door, she was able to stop, but she heard the sounds of footsteps approaching and found her feet moving towards the door, her mouth forming the password.

~

            The trio ran upstairs, desperately searching for Ginny, but having no idea where her room was, they had no luck whatsoever.

            "We have to find her!" Harry gasped as they took a rest in an alcove where two suits of armor were showing a third a way to spontaneously fall down and scare unsuspecting first years that thought they had caused it. 

            "I'll say!"

            "She's not ready to face him.  I don't think she'll be able to do it."

            "She bloody well better not have to!" Ron said.

            "Come on you two, let's keep going." Hermione piped up, and they were off again.

~

            When she opened the door, she found Draco Malfoy staring at her, holding a vial of what she could only assume to be a bruise-dispersing potion.  He had a truly evil smirk on his face.  She tried to bolt, but Draco waved his wand at the door and it had closed and locked again in seconds.  She reached into her pocket and ever so slowly closed her fingers around her wand.  She'd just stun him again, just as soon as he turned his back to her.  But he didn't turn his back to her; instead, he slowly set down the bruise potion, keeping his eyes locked on her the entire time, as if he knew what her plan was.  Which, Ginny realized, he probably did.  It didn't take a genius to figure out what someone was going to do after they'd already done it twice.  She swallowed and glanced down.  

           A split second later she found herself shoved against a wall with Draco Malfoy's body pressed firmly against hers.  On instinct, a scream escaped her throat, but Draco Malfoy held one hand to her mouth while he used the other to cast what could only be a silencing charm on the room.  Once done, he reached into the pocket where her wand was and threw both their wands against the far wall.  Ginny was completely helpless and she felt it.  Reason flew out the window; anything that Harry had said to her was forgotten.  There was only one thought in her mind. _'Get away from Draco!'_

            "You didn't really think I was naïve enough to not know who you were really going for a walk with this morning did you Ginny," he said acidly and started kissing and biting her neck.

            "I went with Ron.  He's my brother!" she protested loudly and tried to wiggle out from between him and the wall, she managed but Draco had her wrist in his hand before she could make it far enough away from him and swung her onto the bed.

            "Yeah right," he said pinning her down.

            "I was with him the entire time!" she lied.

            "I don't believe you, you little whore."

            "I'm not a whore!" she defended herself and grabbed onto a section of his hair to pull his head back from his neck.  "Draco I'm your wife, don't do this, please don't!" 

           In response he grabbed a much larger chunk of her hair and pulled down, forcing her to simultaneously expose her neck to him, and release his hair in response to the pain.  She gasped at the sting of what was surely a large chunk of hair being ripped from her scalp, and Draco smiled.  "You _are_ my wife.  So you'll do well to remember that next time you run off into the forest with Potter."

            "Oh please stop," she said and tried to push his face away from her again.  "Why?  Oh please why?"

            "To teach you a lesson, I've told you that before, Mrs. Malfoy" he said.  Those words jogged something in Ginny's memory, though she couldn't grasp onto the thought before it slipped away in the face of terror.

            "No no no no no!" she pleaded, tears leaking from her eyes.

            "You're making it difficult," he whispered in her ear but she tried to move her head away from his. "Just stop struggling and it won't hurt in the least."

            She couldn't _not_ struggle.  That would be allowing him to take her, and she couldn't do that.

            "I'm not just going to let you take me," she said aloud as she tried to get away once more. If she could only get to her wand across the way she could stun him, then she could creep away and spend a night or two away under the protection of Harry's cloak.

            "Just don't hurt me," she pleaded, "please just don't hurt me."  Draco, in response, dug his nails into her skin and bit down hard on her neck."

            "Why," she asked again, "why are you doing this."

            "I told you, my little wife, you need to be taught a lesson. Not to mention," he chuckled, "I rather enjoy it."  Her memory stirred again, but this time she was able to grab hold of what the memory was.

            'Ac_t like all his efforts to hurt you are doing nothing_.'  

            She didn't think she could do it, but she could try.  Summoning up all of her will power, she closed her eyes and tried to make her face go blank, but it was almost impossible.  She wasn't able to keep her face slack when he pulled off all her clothes, leaving her completely vulnerable to his attacks, or when he first entered her, but while his hands roamed her body, and even when he spread her legs apart and she _knew_ what was coming next, she didn't so much as flinch.

~

            Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room feeling a sick sort of hatred brewing inside him.  He had the map spread out before him, not caring who saw it, staring at the little dots of Draco and Ginny.  It wasn't possible to tell exactly what was going on because Draco could be either on top of her, or sitting very close to her, but the point was that Ginny was stuck there with him.  He blamed himself for not thinking of the map earlier.  It _was_ his map after all, had he thought of it sooner they might have been able to make it to her room before Draco had put the silencing charm on it, and they wouldn't have had to stand outside the room trying to penetrate the locking charm just knowing that inside, their girlfriend, sister, or friend was being violated by a man she was going to have to spend the rest of her life with.  Why on earth had he told her to let him do it?  That was so stupid.  He was probably touching her right now and Ginny was _letting him._  His Ginny was being touched and caressed by a monster, a Death Eater.  He'd kill him if he ever got the chance.

~

            Ginny lay in bed and waited for Draco's breathing to become deep so she could slip out and away to Gryffindor tower.  So it had happened, she'd been dreading it for a week and it had finally happened.  And…it wasn't as bad as she had thought.  She was still alive and breathing, he hadn't changed her into something else.  In the dark, she raised her hand to look at it, and flexed her fingers.  There were still five fingers and she was still essentially Ginny, with just one more bad experience under her belt.  Once Draco finally did drift off into sleep Ginny got up and got dressed, her robes still fit.  Looked in the mirror, she still looked the same, and tried to leave, but she couldn't.  With a sigh, she plugged her nose and took a gulp of the potion, only to find it didn't taste nearly as bad she would have thought.  In fact, it had a very distinctive, good taste.  She'd survived it, and she could survive it again if she needed too.

Author's Note:  Sorry it took me so long, but posting in the summer is going to take longer for reasons not under my control.  If you'd like to be added to the e-mail update list, just say so and leave your e-mail address in the review.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

            Ginny was only half way to Gryffindor tower when she was pulled into an abandoned classroom by an invisible force.

            "Let me go!" she demanded, whirling on whoever her attacker might be and pulling her wand; she pointed it haphazardly to where she thought her attacker might be, still on the defense from Draco's earlier attack.  Her heart was pounding.  Should she try and pull rank, and tell whoever it was that he was going to be in trouble with her husband?  It could save her life…

            "It's me!" Harry said, pulling the cloak off, "are you okay?" he raked his eyes over her, wondering what bruises the potion was concealing.  "Did he touch you?  Did you fight him?  Please tell me he didn't hurt you," he pleaded earnestly.  

            "He—"she took a deep breath.  She was done with tears.  There would be no more crying: no more! "—I took your advice and went limp," Ginny paused as Harry's skin turned into a shade similar to his eyes.

           "Did it work?" he asked, but his voice was filled with forced calmness.

            "I obviously couldn't do it completely, but it, well, I think it will help."

            "You uh-think he'll do this again, then?"

            "I know so!" Ginny said.

            Harry hugged her and murmured into her hair, "you were right; you should have fought it."

            "Didn't you just hear me?  I told you I thought it was going to work," she said.

            "Er-right," Harry said, "I just felt bad about being so er-cold," he tried to cover.  The truth was, he didn't want Draco anywhere near Ginny, and if he was, Harry would much rather believe that she was fighting back with all her might.

            "No, it's okay, you were saying what had to be said," Ginny said and snuggled her head onto his chest.  "Let's stay here for dinner, eh?  Do you think Dobby will bring dinner up to us?  Draco is still asleep upstairs so I think the contract will let me skip the Great Hall."

            Harry nodded and the two sunk down to the ground to cuddle.

~

            Draco lounged back in bed, still not having bothered to get dressed.  Where was she?  Probably with Potter, but he didn't have the energy to pursue her now, and besides, what would he do when he found her?  This last fiasco had been a disaster.  She'd just stopped reacting, but even so, her screams of pain weren't nearly as satisfying as her screams of pleasure.  He wanted his pet back in his arms when they were making love.  Or—whatever they had been making back then.  It was _so_ much better than this.  He thought back to those times, when she'd hide her blushing face in her shoulder and wrap her arms around his neck.  That had always felt so…right…so…perfect.   Being on top of her this time was hardly considered satisfying, in fact, it was so unsatisfying that he had been worried he wouldn't even finish.  If she'd fought it, things would have been very different though.  At least then he would have been able to dominate her, and get out all of his frustrations that she _wasn't _his pet anymore.  This had been horrific at best.  What could he do now?  He was a Slytherin; he should be able to figure out what to do.  '_All right,'_ he thought, _'let's think about this logically.  What do you want?  For it to not feel like I'm shagging a ruddy corpse when I'm supposed to be shagging my wife.  Now how can you accomplish that? Well I could make it much more painful for her.  Then she'd have no choice but to struggle.  Of course, if I do anything too drastic I don't think she could handle it, and then I'd have a crazy wife on my hands.  I don't need that.  I could threaten her; tell her that if she pulls something like that again, I'll lock her in a cell for the entire Easter Break.  But that's a long way off; she'd probably find a way out of by then. So what's left then?  The only thing you could do now would be to seduce her,' _he thought with a chuckle. '_Hey wait a minute.  That's a good idea.  If she's just going to lie there limp, I still know what she likes from the summer.' _He smiled to himself and dozed off again.

~

            Around twelve, Ginny woke up and found she was getting ready to leave.  She did manage to wake Harry up and hastily explain to him that the contract was forcing her to retreat back to Draco, before people noticed anything.  He nodded sleepily, kissed her on the cheek before he dozed off again.

She walked back to her own room not bothering to fight the contract.  Draco would be asleep by now, and this last time had been so unsatisfying she was sure he'd need at least another two days before he could talk himself into believing it would be better next time.  When she said the password and the door swung open however, she was shocked.  The room's usual torchlight was dimmed and there were plenty of candles flickering all around the room.  Draco was lying on the bed, asleep. But when she quietly shut the door behind her, he woke up.

            "Hello there, my gorgeous wife," he said, rolling over to face her.

            "Hi," Ginny said bewildered, and started reaching for her wand, very slowly.

            "Oh no, you won't be needing that," Draco said and _accio_ed her wand to him.  Ginny gaped; there was something wrong about this.  She turned towards the door to open it, determined to leave with or without her wand, but when she put her hand on the knob, she found it was burning.  Damn that charm!  She whirled around again towards him and backed away from his advancing form, only stopping when she found herself backed against the wall.  Draco gently pulled her to him, whilst Ginny made herself feel like a rag doll.  He carried her, baby style, over to the bed where he gently set her down.  Slowly, he began to undress her and Ginny tried to ignore his hands leisurely roaming her body.

            _'If you can ignore him hitting you, you can ignore this!'_ she thought.  But this was entirely different.  This felt good and part of her _wanted_ to feel this.  She tried ignoring him, or thinking of something completely gross, but every time his mouth or hands would find a new spot to concentrate on, she'd gasp out in pleasure.  She was betraying Harry by enjoying this.  What would he say if he knew?  But thinking of Harry brought new thoughts into her head.  What had he said this morning?  Something about the easiest way to turn him off was the act as if all his efforts to arouse her had been for naught.  Well she was trying that, and it wasn't working.  So what if she struggled?  Then he'd hit her, and get pleasure out of that, so then _she'd_ go back to being limp, then _he'd_ go back to doing what he was doing now.

           She grasped the sheets beside her, trying not to let him force her to finish.  She only succeeded in calming herself down a bit, when she closed her eyes and pictured the only person she could think of who was more revolting than Draco Malfoy, Professor Snape, on top of her, but Draco seemed to realize that she was doing something like that and centered all his attention on a spot that made Ginny gasp out so much so that she didn't care if it was Voldermort himself on top of her. 

            Draco was being driven mad by each little gasp of pleasure that escaped her lips.  '_I bet Potter's never made you do _that,' Draco thought.  He smiled when he observed the way her little hands were grasping the sheets next to her so hard her knuckles were turning white.  She was his again.  His his his his his!

            The idea came to Ginny just when Draco was massaging her thigh trying to get her to open her legs to him. The idea was so good that she had to hold back laughing at the thought that it hadn't occurred to her before.  It was so simple!

            "Oh Harry," she said in breathy moan.  The effect of these two little words was instantaneous and unmistakable.  Draco's hand stopped messaging her leg and relocated to her hair and pulled, while the other one slapped her across the face.  The next thing she knew, he was inside of her, and she allowed herself to laugh now, which only caused him to go faster and harder.

            He couldn't believe her.  She was such a whore.  He hated her!  How dare she laugh whilst she was under him, and how _dare_ she think of Scarface?  He wished she'd just leave him alone.  Why on earth had he ever wanted to marry this red- haired scarlet woman?  He finished, and she did, too, calling out Harry's name.  He collapsed on the bed next to her and shoved her off onto the stone floor.

            "Sleep down there," he commanded.  Ginny, still laughing, got up and got dressed, before retrieving her wand and her book and reading until he dozed off.

~

            Draco didn't let Ginny leave the room the next day.  He left after breakfast, taking Ginny's wand with him, and didn't return until well after the seventh year's curfew.  He'd spent his time in the library, attempting to study for N.E.W.T.s, telling off kids for whispering too loudly, and boldly yelling at anyone whom he thought was playing footsies under the tables.  When returning to their room was finally unavoidable, he found her curled up in bed asleep, with that same trashy romance novel on the bed next to her.  He concluded that she'd fallen asleep reading when he saw that the torches were all lit and she was still in day robes. He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her onto the floor.  

            "Ow!" she said, awaking at the collision.

            "You're sleeping on the floor from now on," Draco informed her.

            "Fine, but then I get—"

            "You get nothing more than you deserve, and that's the floor with no pillow or sheets.  Curl up like the dog that you are."

            "Well, I suppose it's better than sleeping next to you," she said bitterly.  She curled up on the floor, showing no outward signs of being uncomfortable; however, as soon as she heard Draco's breathing get deep she retrieved her wand from his robes, stunned him, hauled him off the bed, took his place, then returned her wand to his robes.

~

            The great thing about stunning spells, Ginny mused as she looked at Draco on the floor, was that they returned their victim to the original state, meaning that Draco would have no idea he was stunned until he was dead tired for the next day or so.  Maybe, she could keep doing the stunning spells until Draco died of exhaustion, then, maybe, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy would die in the war, leaving Ginny the only surviving Malfoy and then she could control the contract, and she would be married to Harry.  She sighed, knowing it was all just wishful thinking, and that she would probably be married to Malfoy for the rest of her life.  Knowing this didn't make her feel less sick thinking about it.

            She dressed, and got ready for classes, fully intent on not waking Draco up, but apparently, the Malfoy heir skiving off classes was considered an embarrassment, so Ginny bent down and woke him up.  Once he stirred and opened his eyes, Ginny flew downstairs to the Great Hall, where, she saw with a smile, Harry, Ron, and Hermione's faces all lit up when the saw her.

            "Hello!" she said cheerfully when she sat down.

            "Hi!" Ron said, "boy, are we glad to see you!  Where were you yesterday?"

            "Oh, well I just felt like having one of those lazy Sundays; you know?  Draco gave me some time alone in our room so I could just relax while he got some work done.  He's such a sweetheart; he said he didn't want to stress me out by studying for N.E.W.T.s around me."

            Harry stared at her for a full minute, his fork halfway to his mouth, before he realized she was acting under the influence of the contract. 

            "So, you were alone for the whole day then?" Ron asked.

            "Completely," she said truthfully, hoping they would believe her.

            "Well, it's good to hear you could er—relax, then," Ron said casually, but Ginny saw that his face changed slightly, and the easy going look became slightly more genuine.

            "So how is studying going for you lot then?" Ginny asked sincerely.

            "They've hardly started studying at all!" Hermione said.  "Ten hours a week!  Personally I'm doing thirty-five to forty, but I wish I could find time for more…" and Hermione was off on an exam tirade.  It was only January; June was ages away.  She hadn't started studying for O.W.L.s until late April, and Hermione had practically been in a fit about it.  She'd gotten seven, which she considered a pretty decent number.  Ron had gotten eight, two years before, but Hermione had been hounding him to study then, too.  She wondered how many Draco had gotten, she only hoped it was less then seven.  It would feel so good to be better than him at something.  

            Just as this thought crossed her mind, she felt a hand delicately wrap around her shoulder.

            "Sweety," Draco said, "why don't you come and sit with me at my table?" Ginny wanted to disagree; she _so_ wanted to stay here with her friends and family, but she had to agree with Draco.

            "I'd love to!" she said happily and stood, "you understand, don't you Ron.  I promise you I'll sit with you at Lunch."  Ha, there. Now Draco couldn't make her sit with him at lunch, then she'd embarrass the family by blatantly lying. 

            Draco led her over to the table and when he didn't think anyone could hear him, he whispered in her ear, "you're never, ever, _ever_, going to see Potter alone again."  Ginny ignored him and flipped her hair defiantly.

            Draco was as good as his word.  Even though she kept court with Draco at the Slytherin table that morning, and she spent her morning classes, dreaming of having lunch with her friends and family, he still managed to spoil her genius plan by sitting with her at the Gryffindor table.  It was quite the site really, and had Ginny not been so furious at him for ruining her time with the trio, she would have found it quite comical.  He looked exceedingly out of place there, and although Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew exactly what was going on and sat right by her and Draco, the other Gryffindors wouldn't go within two feet of their little group.  And it wasn't only for that day; everyday he made sure that Ginny ate breakfast and dinner at the Slytherin table, while he would eat lunch at her table.  She was quite certain he wouldn't have allowed her even lunch if she hadn't promised Ron that she'd eat lunch with him everyday when they passed the Gryffindor table.  He didn't stop at meals either.  Somehow, he'd figured out both her and Harry's schedules and when they would be able to cross in the hallways, and he was always there to take her arm and guide her away.  She hated him. No, loathed him.  Every time he drew near her, she wanted to throw a tantrum.  Somehow, during every class, she managed to convince herself that he wouldn't be there, but he was.  After dinner, he would guide her up to their room forcefully take her wand, and leave her locked inside.  It was almost like August; the only company she had was Draco.  No one in Gryffindor would talk to her now.  Kelly, who Ginny distinctively remembered saying that she wouldn't have minded being rescued by Draco Malfoy, now felt it was her Gryffindor duty to make sure that Ginny had no friends whatsoever.  Apparently marrying a Malfoy was grounds for excommunication in Gryffindor.  Ginny supposed she couldn't blame them.  If Kelly had married Malfoy, she would have been convinced she was a Death Eater, too.  That didn't make life any easier for her.  For two weeks, life was a living hell.

            "I'll be back around ten." Draco had said sweetly as he tucked her wand into his robes.

            "I hate you!" Ginny called after him.  They had been doing that for two weeks straight.  Everyday, Draco would leave with her wand and Ginny would be stuck in that room.  Without a wand, she had no way of getting out and, no means of telling anyone what Draco was doing.  She tried passing notes in classes to be passed on to Ron or Hermione, but the contract wouldn't let her.  She'd tried giving Ron cards at meals, but Draco had intercepted those.  The thing was, she was certain they could get in if they only knew the password.  After all, she had opened the door with the charm on it, and moments later it had kept her inside.  It wouldn't surprise her if Harry had tried to get into her room once or twice, but because of the silencing charm, she hadn't heard him.  Around the middle of the second week, she had finally grown so bored, she'd written a letter to Mrs. Malfoy asking for a book about pregnancy and infants.  She'd handed it to Draco and quietly asked if he could send it off to his mother.  He looked skeptical but broke the seal and read aloud, 

           "_Dear Mrs. Malfoy—_you know you really should call her Mother now," Draco had interrupted, but she gave him a withering look and he continued, "_would you mind sending me a book about pregnancy?  I know I'm a long way off from having the baby but I'm dying of boredom and I'd very much like to know what's happening to my little one. Thank you, Ginny_—Tsk, you've ended this letter wrong.  You should sign your proper name, Mrs. Draco Malfoy or at the very least, Virginia Malfoy," he had informed her with a smirk.

            "Fine! Whatever, I don't care.  Change the ruddy ending if you must, but just send my blasted letter!" 

            "Such a temper Mrs. Malfoy, you really ought to watch that."  Ginny had ignored him, and he'd left with her letter inside his palm.  She took the liberty of assuming he'd sent it, because he had returned empty-handed that night.  By the end of the second week, she was just giving up hope when she found something that had great potential to help her.  In the bottom of her trunk, hidden against the bottom edge, was one of Fred and George's joke wands.  They had crafted this one to look just like hers, and she suspected it had been in her trunk for ages.  They had probably placed it there years ago in hopes she would grab it one day on her way to class and it would change into a toad in the middle of Transfiguration, but never dreaming it would be so helpful.  Yesterday, she had taken the wand with her, and at the end of Charms, her last class of the day, she had stuck her real wand in the waistband of her skirt while she put the fake one in her bag where she usually kept it.  While Draco slept that night, she had taken the charm off the door and spent today anxiously waiting for evening to come.

            Draco had taken the wand unceremoniously from her bag and left.  She waited ten minutes until she was certain Draco wasn't coming back before she started writing her note to the trio.

_Hello you Lot!_

_            I'll see you when you can tell me my wedding anniversary at the door!  Mind you, the only time I'm really free to talk is after dinner._

It was short and simple, but she was positive they would know exactly what it meant.  She avoided signing her name in case the contract wouldn't let her send it like that.  When she was confident Draco was gone for the night, she ran up to the owlry.

            "Hedwig, hey Hedwig," she had hissed when she saw the owl.  She hooted and affectionately nipped her finger before taking the letter she had in her beak and immediately flying down to Harry.  Ginny loved that owl; it was as if she knew exactly what was needed.

            For her part, Ginny returned to her dorm to do her homework.  The only good thing about being locked up for so long is that her grades were skyrocketing.  She'd even started enjoying potions.  Snape was being nicer to her ever since she came back to school as Mrs. Draco Malfoy.  Tonight, after sticking her wand in her backpack and promising herself that she'd find a better place for it later, she grabbed her transfiguration text and started writing her essay; she planned on making it an extra ten inches.  Before now, she'd never been able to comprehend how Hermione managed to make her essays so long, but now that she was trying she realized that there was so much information when she really searched for it.  Her books and papers were sprawled out on the bed, and she was lounging back when she heard someone say the password and the door sprung open to reveal no one, but a second later the door was shut and Ron, Hermione, and Harry were standing in the doorway.

            "What are you _doing _here?" Ginny hissed.  "Draco could be back any minute!" This wasn't true; Draco wasn't due back for at least another two hours.  But Ginny, who had just gotten her freedom was in for long haul, had no plans of doing anything that could threaten it.

            "Relax," Hermione said, "I'm on map duty," and she pulled out the Marauders Map and announced that Draco was still at his table in the library.  She plopped down on the bed amongst Ginny's transfiguration books and continued to study the map. 

            "Are you okay?"  Harry asked, "What has he been doing to you?  Where have you been all these nights?  Draco's been in the library.  Why haven't you shown up in Gryffindor tower?"

            "It's the damn charm on the door!" Ginny said, "It's the same one as last August, and Draco's been taking my wand every night and won't give it back to me until we leave breakfast the next morning.  He's been sleeping with it locked in his trunk, which has some sort of spell on it so only he can open it.  The only reason I could send that owl today was because I found one of Fred and George's trick wands in the bottom of my trunk and I made Draco believe that was my real wand!" Ginny said exasperated.  It sounded as if they were blaming _her_ for being locked up; she couldn't have that!

            "What has he been doing to you?" Harry asked again.

            "Nothing.  He's been making me sleep on the floor for ages now.  It's horrible; he won't give me so much as a sheet and he has my wand so I can't conjure anything!"

            "He's not _trying_ anything?"  Harry asked bewildered, "why not?"

            Ginny hesitated, how was she going to put this, "I er—gave him the impression that I was thinking of you during er—uh—activities…" Ginny said and everyone looked up at her, even Hermione.

            "You pictured me hitting you?!?!"  Harry bellowed, and Ginny was glad the room was sound proof.

            "No, no listen, the second time he tried something, he tried to make me er—make me enjoy it," she whispered, "but I er—made him think I was thinking of you, and he's been too scared to touch me since."  Ginny's face was now roughly the color of her hair as she hid her face in her hands.

            "OH NO!" Hermione said, "I got distracted, Draco's headed this way, he's right down the hall."

            "Damn!  This is why I didn't want you guys here until tomorrow when we'd have more time!  Under the cloak, and hide in the corner.  He's not going to give you an opportunity to get out of the door once he opens it.  You're going to have to wait until he's asleep."  The trio nodded, and huddled under the invisibility cloak in the corner.  Ginny plopped down on the bed, smoothing out the covers where Hermione had sat and tried to look surprised when Draco opened the door.

            Harry watched the scene from the cover of the invisibility cloak with interest.

           "It's not ten yet," Ginny said blandly checking her watch.

            "No it's not.  But I forgot my charms book back here and the essay is due tomorrow." Draco supplied as he went to get his book from his trunk, but then he straightened and stood there watching her for a second, as if waiting for something.

            "Yes?" she asked, looking up from her essay. 

            "Clear off the bed and get on the floor," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

            "Can't we just share the bed tonight?" she asked.  Harry, though he knew it was unfair, felt a little wronged at Ginny's suggestion.  Why would she want to share the bed with him?

            "Right, I'm supposed to let you climb into bed with me like a good little girl wife when you'll be thinking about Potter the whole time.  I'm not the moron you think I am."  Harry wanted to disagree.  After all, here was 'Potter' under an invisibility cloak just feet from him.

            "Look," she said, "at this point, I'm pretty sure the only thing running through my head will be, 'this is a hell of a lot more comfortable then the floor.'  After you slept on the floor for two weeks straight, _you_ wouldn't care if you were sleeping next to Harry," Ginny spoke up.

            "What are you implying?"  Draco snapped at her.

            "Simply that sleeping on the floor sucks," Ginny said giving him an odd look.  Harry couldn't help but notice that she looked like she was biting back a comment or two, but she wasn't sure who's sake she was doing it for.

            "Malfoy women don't talk like that," Draco said, and by the way he said it, Harry had a feeling that he'd said something like that numerous times by now.

            "You know, Malfoy women probably don't sleep on the floor either," Ginny bit back.

            "They do if their husbands tell them to!  Look," Draco said drawing his wand, "clear off the bed or I'll vanish your transfiguration essay."  Scowling, Ginny got up from the bed and started relocating things to the table, but apparently, she wasn't moving fast enough for him because mid way through her clearing, Draco sent all her books flying onto the floor, and one of them hit Ginny right in the stomach. She doubled over in pain, but Draco paid her no heed while he set himself on the bed.  Harry watched, hating the other boy more than he ever had.  Ginny, sending Draco a scathing look, began moving the rest of the things to the table.  She was moving to sit in a chair when Draco casually swiped his wand and she fell to the ground instead.

            "What the hell was that for?" she bellowed turning around.

            "I believe I said floor," Draco said swishing his wand again and tipping the books on the table back onto the floor in a heap without so much as looking up from his charms essay.

            "Why can't I sit at the table?" Ginny bellowed, "What the hell is wrong with the table?  You just said clear off the bed!"

            "I did not," Draco said calmly, "I said, 'clear off the bed, and _get onto the floor_.'  Now you're doing your homework on the floor like I told you to."

            "Ugh!  I HATE YOU!"  Ginny yelled, grabbing a book and flinging it at him.  He ducked, and the book smashed into the wall where his head had been, hitting so hard the spine broke.  Harry sincerely wished Draco's head had still been there.

            "Such a temper Mrs. Malfoy," Draco said making a tsking sound.

            Ginny responded, appropriately Harry thought, by whirling another book at him. "I hate you! I hate you!" she yelled again.  "I wish you were dead!" she screamed as she sent another book flying.  Harry wondered if she remembered they were there.

            "Alright.  I've had enough," Draco announced and stunned Ginny, sending her to the floor in a heap. 

            It was another three long hours before Draco Malfoy fell asleep and the trio was able to make an exit.  Harry was tempted to make Ginny more comfortable, but on the off chance that Draco somehow noticed, he didn't want to make things worse for her.  Harry didn't know how she was going to survive this.

**~**

**A/N:**  Thanks for reading!  If you'd like to start receiving e-mails when I post new chapters, just tell me so and leave your e-mail in your review.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

            The next day was not kind to Ginny.  She hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep because of Draco's stunning spell, which, she realized with much chagrin, was a great deal stronger than hers; Draco had awoken her with _Enervate_ this morning.  That simply wasn't fair; her spells only lasted a few hours at most.  Draco's had lasted the entire night, and there was no telling how long it would have gone on had he not _chosen _to wake her up.  As if that wasn't enough, Pansy spent the entirety of breakfast and dinner trying to engage her in a conversation about what robes she would be wearing for all the spring parties.  Ginny, who longed to say that she didn't give a hoot whether or not yellow looked good with Pansy's 'naturally blonde hair,' found herself discussing if purple would look good with her hair instead.  Pansy, who Ginny suspected had been looking for an opportunity to insult her for weeks, had no qualms about saying that purple looked 'simply horrible' on redheads, and that Ginny would be much better off with an avocado or siege.  Classes were a horror onto themselves.  She was so tired she fell asleep during History of Magic, and completely messed up her potion in Potions.  Finally, to top it all off, Draco's arm was very securely around her waist during every meal and between every class.  There were only two redeeming factors of the entire day: the first was that the book she had requested from Narcissa arrived with Draco's eagle owl this morning.  The second was that Hermione showed up in her room after Draco had left, announcing that she'd put temporary alarm charms around the corridor for the night so they wouldn't have a scare like last night.  The visit was uneventful at best, with Hermione studying for NEWTs and Ginny trying to catch up on the homework she hadn't been able to do last night; nevertheless, Ginny was glad for the company.

            "We're all going to take turns visiting you," Hermione said, as she was packing up to go at 9:00. "Sometimes Ron and Harry have Quidditch you know, but we thought that together we could make sure you have someone here every night."

            "Thanks!" Ginny said brightly.

            That same day was not kind to Harry Potter either.  He woke up late, wolfed down breakfast, and went to double Potions.  Now Potions was enough to make any morning bad, but Harry could have sworn something had happened to make Snape increase his grudge from his usual 'make Harry Potter's life a living hell' vow.  Rising to the challenge, Harry had done everything perfectly.  All he had to do now was add half a bottle of powdered bicorn and let it simmer for thirty minutes.

            "Mr. Potter!" Snape yelled the instant he started to add the powdered bicorn into his cauldron, causing Harry to jump in surprise and dump the whole bottle in. "Have you stirred that potion half a dozen times counterclockwise?"

            "Yes," Harry said biting back more than one nasty insult. Now his potion was ruined!  His only hope was that Snape wouldn't realize it nor resume his old habit of banishing his potion.  His potion, however, didn't seem to share his sentiments, because after only three minutes on the flame, it started to boil over with purple froth accompanied by loud "glouping" sounds.  "Stop, stop!" Harry protested and began prodding his cauldron with his wand; however, this only caused his wand to start shooting off sparks. And in the off chance that Snape had been managed to _not_ notice the purple froth now spilling down the aisle and loud sounds, he most certainly noticed the gold and red sparks issuing in large, spontaneous, and uncontrollable burst from Harry's wand.

            Snape banished the frothing potion in the aisle and glided over to Harry.  "Why," he hissed, "did you see fit to add double the amount of powdered bicorn, Potter?"

            "Er—" Harry replied, still trying to wipe the potion from the tip of his wand to stop the sparks.

            "No reply?" Snape said, as if oblivious to the fact that Harry was having any sort of difficulties.

            Harry, who wasn't about to say what he was thinking (you startled me you ugly git), simply said nothing.

            "Fine!  As common as a mistake as it is Potter, you shall receive no marks for the day!" and Snape banished what was left of his potion in his cauldron.

            Harry seethed.

            Charms didn't prove to be any better; Professor Flitwick's voice lecturing them on absolute silencing spells lulled him into a deep sleep.

            _He was standing in the midst of a battle.  It was night, but the air around him was bright with multicolored spells being fired back and forth between the two sides at war.  The smell of burning vegetation and charred flesh assaulted his nostrils.  His wand was in his hand, but his whole arm was tingling as if he'd just done very powerful, and probably dark magic.  There was another target to hit.  If he didn't hit him, he'd get hit himself—_

            _"Potter," a cold voice said behind him.  He whirled to face the owner of the voice; he knew who it was.  Voldemort's red eyes were narrowed at him._

            He woke with a start in the middle of charms.  No one seemed to have noticed he'd fallen asleep, except Hermione, who was glaring at him with her mouth so thin it rivaled McGonagall's when she was her most upset.  He'd tell her about the dream at lunch.

           But lunch was once again infected with the presence of Draco Malfoy, so Harry had to endure watching Ginny simper over Draco.  It was sickening!  Couldn't she just take Draco away?  Why did Ginny insist on sitting with them at lunch?  It wasn't as if they could talk about anything with Draco sitting right next to her and now that they could see her at night if they liked, he didn't really see the point in forcing them to endure Draco Malfoy's presence.

            The only thing he was looking forward to was Quidditch Practice, but that did nothing to lift his spirits because his new chasers weren't getting any better.  If anything they were getting worse.  He'd spent the day trying to run plays that looked nothing like he imagined them to.  Even his Firebolt seemed to be determined to make his day horrible; it was veering.  His precious Firebolt was _veering_!  Of course, it was probably because of the wind, but after a day like he'd just had, Harry was ready to believe that his prized Firebolt was now good for nothing but firewood.  

            He returned to Gryffindor Tower that night tired, annoyed and wanting nothing more than to sleep until Monday morning.  The only reason he could possibly fathom for wanting to wake up tomorrow was so he could visit Ginny and let her sooth away all his problems.  He went to bed, having a mental picture of Ginny in his head.

~

            Ginny's Saturday was spent thinking longingly of her baby.  Her new book held a plethora of information.  She was quite pleased to see that the new child would be taking up a majority of her time; it would be lovely to just sit and tend to a baby once it came.  The better part of her morning was spent debating whether or not to ask Draco for help on a spell that would tell her the sex of her baby.  She would just do it herself, but for some reason, the spell didn't work when the mother carrying the child cast it.  She could wait until evening when Harry, Ron or Hermione would hopefully show up, but there were no guarantees that they were coming until Monday.  After all, they didn't really know if Draco was certain to be gone after dinner.  Then she'd have to wait until Monday, which sounded slightly less appealing than asking Draco for help.  After all was said and done, Ginny decided she should ask Draco. 

            "I need your help," she announced grudgingly to Draco when he turned up before lunch after spending the morning in the library.  

            "What is it?" he asked curiously.  Since when had Ginny _asked_ for help?

            "There's a spell that can tell if it's a girl or a boy.  For some reason, it doesn't work when the mother cast it on herself, not to mention that I haven't got my wand.  Could you cast it on me?"

            "I'm sure I can manage," Draco said with a smirk and drew his own wand, "now let me see this charm." The tiny part of Draco that still believed Ginny was his pet from August began to grow.  Here she was, asking him for help.  Maybe what he'd been doing was working.  She hadn't been alone with Potter for ages.  Was his little wife learning that she was _his_ again?  He hoped so!

            Ginny watched Draco as he studied the charm for a moment, looking like he thought he was king of the world again.

            "Lie down and pull up your shirt," Draco commanded once he was certain he could do the spell.

            Ginny did, looking daggers at him the entire time.  She never thought she'd willing obey a command like, 'lie down and pull up your shirt,' from Draco Malfoy ever again. 

            "_Assimulo Genus,_" a white light started to grow from the tip of Draco's wand.  Ginny felt it wiggle its way through her stomach and caress the tiny child inside before emanating a pale blue colored light to indicate the sex of the child.  Ginny stared down at her stomach with relief, hardly daring to believe it.  A boy, this would be her one and only child!  She'd gotten it out of the way!  Draco, on the other hand, looked at it with his face a jumble of emotions.   

            "Get ready for lunch!" Draco barked, yanking his wand away so that the glow died.

~

            Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, wishing Draco Malfoy would vanish so he could have his Ginny alone with him again.  Interestingly enough, Ginny seemed to be deep in thought about something, and Draco did too.  Malfoy, as usual, had his arm around Ginny and was saying things that were making her giggle, then blush and look down.  Harry stared at the two of them, wishing he could curse Malfoy, then grab Ginny and take her someplace far, far,_ far _away from Draco Malfoy.  He _hated_ watching them together!  Why did Ginny insist on torturing him by sitting here with Malfoy?

            Draco sat next to Ginny thinking of that spell.  Why did it have to be a boy?  He'd so wanted a girl child, that way Ginny had to have more babies with him.  He watched her as she chatted happily with her brother and picked lightly at her meal.  Despite the fact that she was a whore, she _really_ was beautiful.  Her hair never ceased to tempt him.  Every strand of coppery color seemed to beckon him to run his hands through it.  Whenever he saw her chatting happily like this he wanted to believe that she was still his happy little pet from ages ago and that if he led her upstairs, she'd let him kiss her lightly and hold her in his arms.  But she wouldn't, and if she did, she'd be thinking of Potter the whole time.  Strange, when he thought Ginny was thinking of Potter she suddenly seemed less appealing.  Her curves abruptly changed from those of an innocent blushing bride, to those of a conniving seductive.  And her hair, once warm and inviting was unexpectedly a deadly fire.

            The only way to change a seductress into a blushing bride was to turn them into mothers many times over.  Somehow he knew it; once that girl had her fifth or sixth child, she would be his again.  It was true!  I _had_ to be true.  '_Otherwise, what other hope do you have_?' he asked himself dejectedly.

~

            "We're having more children after that," Draco announced as soon as the door to their room shut after lunch.  He knew Ginny was going to fight him, but he was ready.  They _were_ having more children and he wanted her to know that _now._

            "Excuse me?" Ginny asked, sitting on the bed.

            "I don't care if that child's a boy; we are having more children after that."

            "Oh no we aren't!" Ginny protested.  She'd spent the last hour being completely relieved that she would never _have_ to have sex with Draco again.  The contract couldn't force her into it now!

            "Yes we are.  I say we are and therefore we ARE!" Draco yelled.

            "No we are NOT!  The contract only says I have to have ONE male child and this is my one male child.  I'm not having any more babies after this one," Ginny yelled, her heartbeat quickening in preparation of a definite yelling match and a possible physical fight.

            "It's not like you have anything better to do except have _my_ children!" Draco yelled. "Why on earth _wouldn't_ you want to have more?"  Although he knew she was going to fight back, it still irked him.  Weren't girls supposed to get all giggly when babies were involved?  Wasn't Ginny normal?  Pansy knew her place; she knew that she had one spot in life: to have as many children as her husband saw fit.

            "I'm watching my figure," Ginny said acidly, her voice dripping with sarcasm.  Wasn't it obvious why she didn't want more children?  Didn't he _know_ what was involved in making babies?

            Draco grabbed her waist and pulled her up to him causing her to yelp in surprise.

            "I'm the only one your figure matters to now," he growled into her ear.

            "You're hateful," Ginny said.  Draco didn't say anything but dropped her waist, causing her to fall onto the bed. 

            As the door slammed behind him, Ginny curled up into a ball thinking longingly of her time tonight with whoever her visitor would be.  She had so many things to tell all of them and only hoped Harry would be the one to quell her worries with a nice hug and a listening ear.

~

            Harry rushed to Ginny's room under his invisibility cloak; it was only one o'clock, and he had every right to be out, but he needed it in case Draco came back early.  It was simply easier to wear it than to carry it.  He had the map with him, if only to check around corners and make sure Draco was still running drills with his team down at the Quidditch pitch.  For hours he'd been waiting to see Ginny alone.  That dream had really gotten to him; he'd tried to have a Quidditch practice again this morning but his new chasers were still giving him a headache and Hermione's constant insistence that NEWTs would spring up on him if he didn't watch out, was starting to wear on him. 

          "Hello Ginny," Harry said as he opened the door to the room.

            "Harry!" Ginny yelled, jumping up from the Herbology diagram she'd been paying only half of her attention to; the other half was devoted to Harry's upcoming visit.

            The teens started talking at once.

            "—I'm so glad I could come—"

          "—I'm so glad you came—"

            "—I've had the worst week what with—"

            "—Oh today's been horrible—"

            "—NEWTs and Quidditch practice, and then I—"

            "—I found out the baby's a boy—"

            "—Had this horrible dream where—"

            "—But Draco's saying he's still going to force me—"

            "—I was on the school's lawn when I saw—"

            "—To have more kids; and—"

            "—Voldemort calling my name and now—"

            "—Harry well—"

            "—Ginny—"                                                                                             

            "—I really just needed to see you!" they both finished in unison.  They stopped; the notion that the other wasn't going to be able to sooth away all their worries immediately apparent to both of them, yet both thought enough of the other and themselves to assume that their problems were bigger and that they deserved immediate attention over their partner.

            "Draco's a bastard—"

            "I'm just stretched so far—" they both started at once and stopped again.

            "Look Ginny—"

            "Look Harry—" Ginny finally let out a frustrated scream and plopped down on the bed.  "Fine, you go first," she bit out.

            Harry told Ginny about his woes, describing the chasers problems in detail to her, and then moving on to how his broom was acting up.  Leaving the subject of Quidditch, he ventured into NEWT preps and how he wasn't sure he could pull off getting any, let alone enough to be accepted into the Auror program at the Ministry.  He stressed that Hermione, though he knew she meant well, was driving him batty, and how Ron and Hermione had been at one another's throats for days.  Their bickering never ceased.  Finally he told her about the dream, and how the pain in his forehead had been more acute then it had been in ages.

            Ginny sat, listening to him drone on feeling that these things weren't out of the ordinary for Harry.  Quidditch was his own problem.  If he didn't want the stress, why had he decided to be captain of it?  NEWTs were something all seventh years were going through.  If that was what was bugging him, he could join the queue for calming potions at Madame Pomfrey's office door. As for Voldemort, he'd been dealing with those nightmares for ages now.  The pain?  Well he'd proved he had a high threshold for pain numerous times.  What was the problem with a little headache?  That could _also_ be dealt with by joining the queue outside Madame Pomfrey's door.  She told him as much when she finished and immediately launched into her problem with Draco. 

             "Is that all?" Harry asked her bewildered.  He was already put off enough about Ginny brushing off everything like he was a child crying over spilled pumpkin juice, and that was all of her problem?  Draco was telling her that in years down the road she was going to have to have more children?  Was she mad?  Of _course_ he was going to make her have more children!          "Yes that's all," Ginny answered curtly.  How dare he just brush away her problems?

            "Well I mean…you knew you were going to have to sleep with him again Ginny.  It's not as if after one shag he's going to be happy.  We've covered this; he's a sick bastard," Harry responded dully.

            "You know you're not the only one with problems!" Ginny said, her temper flaring.  She rose from the bed.

            "Me?" Harry said indignantly, temper also mounting, "YOU!" he suddenly yelled.  "You're the one who acted like I had nothing to worry about"

            "_I_ did?  You just acted like I shouldn't worry about _Draco_!"

            "You acted like I shouldn't care about _Voldemort_!  In case you haven't noticed," Harry yelled and pulled back his hair to show his scar, "I don't have a bloody choice!"

            "Well you did about the Quidditch thing!  Why are you still doing _that_?"

            "Because Quidditch is the only thing that keeps me sane!"

            "You're the only thing that's keeping me sane!  So when you come in here acting like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders and telling me I'm being stupid by expecting to be able to chose whether or not I want to sleep with my _own _husband, what am I supposed to do?" she yelled, her temper rising more and more with each heartbeat.

            "Maybe finally face up to the fact that you're stuck, and all your petty little tricks aren't going to change that for the world!  Guess what Gin, you're married, and you're going to be Draco's little wife until death do you part!"  Ginny gasped her features crumbling into an array of disbelief and betrayal.

            "Out," she hissed quietly in stark contrast to Harry's yelling.  "Get out. Right. Now." she breathed.

            Harry, whose temper was also flaring into unbelievably high altitudes turned on his heals and left her there.  On his way out, he hit the table and a vial of potion came crashing to the ground.  She slammed the door, only narrowly missing hitting him.

            Ginny paced her room seething.  Breathing deeply, she tried to calm herself down, but with each new intake of breath, her lungs seemed to be filled with burning hate for him.  She cleaned up the spilled potion with a wave of her wand.  Good, she was glad Harry had smashed the bruise potion.  The useless git _was _good for something after all.  Finally, she couldn't take it, Grabbing her cloak, scarf, mittens, and boots, Ginny fled her room in favor of the grounds, safely hiding her long hair in the bulk of her scarf.  Harry, no doubt, was going back up to Gryffindor tower to ease his "woes" onto Ron and Hermione.  Draco was probably hunkered town in the library, doing who knows what, so that left the grounds to wander around and clear her head.

            It had snowed last night.  And although the paths to the lake and the Quidditch pitch had been trodden with footsteps from students, the vast majority of the lawn lay untouched.  The serene and pure blanket of untouched white snow beckoned Ginny to come and relax in its vast openness, far from Draco, Harry, marriage contracts and locked doors.  Once alone Ginny inhaled deeply, this time enjoying the way the cool air filled her lungs.  It had been so long since she'd been outside!  The only time Draco let her out of the castle was to attend Herbology, and then she was locked inside the stuffy greenhouse for three hours. Honestly, she hadn't realized she'd missed it until now. How had she been able to stand it?  Locked away from this pristine beauty where the towering trees and the unmarked stretch of white land seemed to proclaim freedom.  Mmmm, what would happen if she just wandered off into the promising beauty of the trees and never came back?  She sighed, mad at herself for clouding this beautiful moment with thoughts of the contract.  But really, it was inevitable wasn't it?  The contract controlled everything she said and did.  There was no escaping it, no matter how perfect and memorizing the snow was.

            The contract.  Now there was something to think about.  _Was_ Harry right? _Should_ she just accept her fate as Draco's wife?  The idea was appalling at best.  All these thoughts buzzing unhappily around in her head, Ginny allowed her feet to go where they pleased, not paying any particular attention to where they were leading her.  She was just reluctantly admitting that she should be getting back to her room before Draco came to collect her for dinner when a voice interrupted her thoughts,

            "Look at that scarf, it's a Gryffindor spy!"

            Her head immediately snapped in the direction of the voice, only to see the Slytherin Quidditch team barreling towards her, Draco amongst them.  Oh no!  She must have wandered near the Quidditch pitch!

            _'Shit,'_ her mind simply swore.

            "It's Weasley!" the voice called again. "Would you just look at that hair?"

            "What are you doing, Weasley?  Trying to steal some moves for your precious Potter?" another mocking voice called.  Ginny swallowed.  She could run; with her hair tied back, they obviously thought she was Ron.  In a flash she turned and ran, but the action brought her hair out from under her scarf and it flowed out behind her as she sped away.

            "Wait a second!" someone called out, "Malfoy, isn't that your wife?"

            Ginny stopped, knowing the cause was lost but wondering why the contract had let her run in the first place.

            "Surprise darling!" she found herself calling instead.

            "Surprise?" Draco said as he landed, clearly bewildered.

            "Yes surprise, I just wanted to see you practice, but I know that you like Quidditch to be your time, still I couldn't resist seeing you play!"

            Behind Draco, his team was standing solemn faced but almost all of them had smiles pulling at the corner of their lips.  Ginny had a feeling that they'd all be laughing at Malfoy for his wife showing up, if it weren't for the fact that they were scared of what they do to him if they did.

            "Then don't give us such a scare," Draco said, his voice lively.  "Come and sit in the stands."

            "How do you know that she won't tell her brother?"  Edward Avery asked coolly.  Ginny recognized his voice as the one who first called her out.

            "Oh, she won't," Draco said, but the comment was directed to her, not Avery.

            Draco did his best to resume practice again, calling out orders to the beaters and running plays.  What on earth was she doing here?  _How _did she get out of the room? What's more, why on earth was the contract letting her come here and embarrass him like this?  It must be because his father didn't find it embarrassing for Ginny to come and watch his Quidditch practices.  Obviously, his father hadn't been seventeen for a very long time.

            The stands were cold and Draco's shouts of Quidditch plays immediately squashed the euphoric freedom she had felt when she first exited the castle.  But she was still outside, and being stuck in the stands was a lot better than being stuck inside her horrid little room with Harry.  She sniffed indignantly at the thought of his name.  

           Her thoughts drifted from one thing to the next. Like, why hadn't she heard Draco's yells on the Quidditch pitch before?  Was it soundproofed during practices so that other teams couldn't spy as easily?

           She watched Draco attempt a surprisingly steep dive wondering if he was showing off for her again and snorted picturing what she'd do if he fell.  Much to her dismay, he didn't; instead, he rolled gracefully out of the dive but dove again when he saw the snitch gleaming just inches from the ground.  Going at a breakneck speed he shot towards a spot five feet from it at an eighty degree angle until she was almost certain he'd break his neck if he didn't pull up.  But he didn't; in the last second before he met the ground he pulled out and continued parallel to the ground.  Lying flat on his broomstick so he wouldn't hit his feet on the ground, he reached out and grabbed the snitch. It was a marvelous catch, and had any other person on the face of the planet made it, Ginny would have stood and cheered.  As it was, it was Draco Malfoy who caught it, and she was forced her to smile broadly at him.

            Catches like that were the most exhilarating thing in the entire world.  It was better than any feeling he could _ever_ remember.  Not even Potter could have pulled off that catch!  In celebration, he guided the broom into a perfect loop and shot straight upward again.  The rest of the team was calling out their congratulations behind him.  He turned towards them to bask in the glow of their praise when his eyes caught site of her. 

            Ginny.

            She was sitting in the stands smiling that fake-contract-forced-smile at him.  He'd forgotten about her being there.  Had she seen that catch?  Wasn't she impressed?  Perhaps the contract knew he was already embarrassed enough that she'd showed up at his practice, and now it was making her stay in her seat.

            "Practice is over!" he called wanting to end it on a good note.  "But there's a game against Gryffindor in just three weeks so practices on Thursdays, Tuesdays and every other Saturday!"  The team grumbled that they'd heard and landed, making their way to the Quidditch changing rooms while Draco landed in the stands next to Ginny, whose smile had dropped from her face.

            "What exactly are you doing here, and how did you get out of that room?"  Draco asked her as he landed.

            Ginny looked up at him.  Despite his harsh tone and words, he seemed to be in a good mood from that catch.  His usually perfect hair was now an unruly mess, while his cheeks were rosy from the cold January wind.  She really hadn't thought it possible, but he was holding himself even more arrogantly then he usually did, as if he'd just won the world cup with that catch, rather then having nearly killed himself trying to show off for his unwilling bride. He also hadn't caught her with Harry; so he wasn't going to be completely livid with her.   She remained silent for a second to think before finally deciding that an altered version of the truth was her best bet.__

            "I thought it'd be quite obvious," Ginny said slowly. "I got my wand and took the spell off the door a few days ago.  I thought you were in the library so I took a walk out on the grounds, but I wandered too close to the Quidditch pitch by accident and got spotted. Now, my lovely little tryst with freedom is over."

            Draco stared at her as she spoke; her words were so matter-of-fact and truthful that he doubted them immediately.

            "You're lying," Draco immediately said and sat down next to her on the stands.  "Why don't you try telling the truth," he snorted, "for once," he added.

            "Well I'm caught aren't I?  If there were something to hide, I'd hide it. Oh, and I owled everyone to come visit me, but Ron and Harry were at Quidditch practice so just Hermione came by."  She knew it was in her best interest to make it seem like she hadn't seen Harry.

            "Get up," Draco commanded, offering her his hand out of habit.  Ginny, predictably, ignored it and the two of them made their way towards the castle.  "We're skipping dinner tonight," Draco announced when Ginny tried to make her way towards the Great Hall.

            "I'm hungry," Ginny said grumpily once they were out of earshot of the rest of the students.

            "Well you should have thought of that before you went against my wishes," Draco replied acidly.  He'd had about enough of her complaining.  Didn't she ever stop and just accept that she was _his_ wife?  He knew she was lying about only seeing Hermione.  That was completely bull.  Only in his dream world would Ginny not have seen Potter.  Who did she think she was trying to pull that admit-to-a-lesser-crime trick over him?  He was a Slytherin; he knew that trick.  Hell, Salazar Slytherin _invented_ that trick.  Deep down, he wanted to believe her.  He _ached_ to believe that Ginny had remained loyal to him even after she had gained a little bit of freedom, but he knew that wasn't the case.  She'd probably been shagging Potter just hours before.  At the thought, his arm involuntarily tightened around her waist, but Ginny either didn't notice or didn't care because she continued to walk straight forward to their room.

            "Tell me the truth," Draco said as they entered.  He guided the surprisingly placid Ginny to the bed and sat her down like a disobedient child.

            "I got my wand—"

            "How?"

            "Well Fred and George had put one of their fake wands in my trunk, so I gave you that one and kept mine.  Anyways, then I took the charm off the door one night.  The next evening I sent a message to everyone to come and visit me, which I'm assuming they got that morning, but only Hermione could come because the boys had Quidditch practice.  Then today, I took a walk outside and wandered too close to your Quidditch practice.  That's pretty much the whole of it."

            Draco was silent for a long time while he contemplated her words.  Should he believe her?  Again, he studied her.  The way her hair was haloed in the torchlight and her nearly translucent skin was dotted with freckles.  _Why_ did she have to be so damn beautiful, and _why_ did she have to have that insane obsession with Potter?  If she was indeed lying, she looked unusually calm about it, considering she knew what he could and would do to her if he found out she was.  Yes, he decided suddenly, he'd believe her.  Ginny wasn't lying.  What a relief.  He was so sick of her little games. It was refreshing to see her admit that she'd done something wrong and face the consequences. 

            "Give me your wand," Draco commanded.

            "No!" she said.  Ah, yes, there was the old Ginny again, snotty, unbearable and simply annoying.

            "Virginia Elizabeth Malfoy, I said give me your wand, now give it to me before you regret it," he commanded, trying to keep the weariness out of his voice.  She was so insufferable!

            "Do not scold me like a child!  I will keep my wand because I'm—" but she didn't finish.  Draco took aim and hit her with a full body bind.  He could have stunned her just as easily, but while she was in a full body bind she could still hear and see him, and he figured seeing him take her wand was proper punishment for giving him lip.  Slowly, he untucked her shirt from her waistline of her skirt and undid the buttons all way to the top so he could part her blouse and see if her wand was hidden underneath.  Of course, she could have just pulled the shirt up, but that was nearly as much fun.  It wouldn't have caused Ginny to scream like this.  She couldn't really scream but she was desperately trying to voice her protest through her sealed mouth.  When her opened blouse revealed that her wand wasn't hidden there, he started on her skirt, slowly inching it up, to make sure that she hadn't strapped it to her thigh.  It was there, but the buckle was on the underside of her leg.  He slowly turned her over, so her screams were now muffled into the pillow, and unbuckled the clasp of the strap holding her wand in place.  He turned her back over, but left her skirt up and her shirt open, before putting her wand securely in his trunk.

            "I'm going to dinner, Luv," he said, and kissed her right on the cheek.  The volume of her protest increased slightly but Draco acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

            Dinner was a surprisingly enjoyable affair without having to worry about Ginny being besides him.  It was a relief to just sit and bask in the glow of his wonderful catch without knowing that Ginny was sitting there thinking he was pathetic, and that Potter could have done better.

            "Where's you wife?" Pansy asked acidly.  Draco looked at her.  Pansy had been surprisingly quiet since the train ride up to school.  Either that, or she was smart enough to gossip where Draco couldn't hear her.  And if Draco knew Pansy, it was that latter.

            "Oh, she was feeling rather _tired_ after her _walk_," Draco said with a smirk curling at the corners of his lips, hoping his lewd meaning was coming across loud and clear.  Let the other boys argue with that!  His wife may have shown up at Quidditch practice, but they weren't getting regular shagging.  Not that he was either actually, but _they_ didn't know that.

            Pansy made an indignant noise meaning that proper people didn't talk about such things; he knew it well because his mother often made the same sound, but Draco didn't care if it was proper.  At seventeen, it was okay to break certain rules of conduct, and that was one of them.  

            After most of the other tables had cleared out, Draco finally stood, announcing that Dinner was finally over for their end of the Slytherin table.

            He reluctantly returned to his room to find Ginny still under the spell.  Her eyes darted to him when he entered the room.

            "Did you enjoy your rest, darling?" Draco asked, taking the opportunity to run his hands through her fiery tresses.  Ginny screamed loudly through her sealed mouth, but Draco only chuckled.  He was sick of her attitude.  Ginny was going to be under either a silencing charm or a sleeping charm for the rest of the night.

            He took the spell off her, only to be on the receiving end of an outraged tirade.

            "You disgusting, vial, ill-mannered pig!" she said immediately, as she buttoned up her blouse and put her skirt down "because I won't respond to you, you've got to manhandle me when I can't defend myself, you—you—ugh, I can't think of anything bad enough to call you!  I hate—"

            "Silencio," Draco said almost lazily.  Ginny continued to try and talk before she realized she couldn't make a sound.  Frustrated beyond belief she got up and started beating her fist on his chest.  Draco easily caught her wrist in his hands and held them above her head, but she kicked him in the shins.  In response, Draco backed her up until she was sitting on the bed, and he was standing over her; then squashed her legs between his own, so she couldn't move at all. 

            Ginny felt her pulse start to quicken.  This was the most helpless she have ever felt.  Draco's hands physically restrained her, and she couldn't mutter so much as a syllable.  She hated him.  She hated him for merely existing.  Didn't he know that if he'd stop being so horrible to her, she might actually stop being so horrible to him?  

            "Do you have any homework, just shake your head yes or no," he commanded.  Ginny completely ignore him, so he asked again.  "Answer me Virginia.  Do you have any schoolwork to do?" he repeated slowly, stressing each individual word.

            Reluctantly, she shook her head.  She'd done all of her schoolwork due tomorrow and wasn't really in the mood to do any more. 

            "Then goodnight Virginia," Draco said and hit her with a sleeping spell.  She fell slack against him immediately, and he changed her into her pajamas, if only to watch her freak out when she realized he'd seen her naked again.  Since she was already asleep, Draco let her sleep in the bed, hoping that she'd shut up about having to sleep on the floor all the time.  Didn't she know that all she had to do was stop fighting him and he'd spoil her rotten?  If she'd only become his pet again she could have anything her heat desired: clothes, jewels—hell she could have a whole bloody _manor_.  All he wanted was to not have to fight her when he wanted to sleep besides his wife.  Was it so hard for her to ruddy smile at him once and awhile?  He sighed, tucking her into bed and running his hand through her hair again.  She looked so innocent and angelic while she slept like that.  He wondered what she was dreaming about.  The thought rose unbidden to his head before he could stop it.

            '_Probably Potter,'_

            His hand fell from her hair immediately, and he went to the library to do some half-hearted NEWT revising. 

~

            In the morning, Ginny awoke from the best eleven hours of sleep she'd ever had, but she had more pressing matters to consider.  She was in a _bed_!  For the first time in weeks she was waking up in a warm, comfortable, soft bed, with a feather pillow under her head and a huge feather comforter covering her body.  It felt _marvelous_!  But the feeling of overwhelming joy only lasted so long.   

           Once she saw Draco Malfoy sleeping next to her, the feeling faded.  Not because he was sharing this wonderful, soft and warm bed with her, that she could forgive, but his presence brought more than one unwanted question to her head.  Why had he let her sleep next to him, and_ why_ didn't she remember going to sleep there?  Slowly, the memories of last night resurfaced and she remembered the sleeping spell.  Oh no!  What had he done to her while she was asleep?  That sick bastard!  First it was the body bind, and now he had her under sleeping spells?  It was then that she noticed she was wearing a nightgown, which she was sure she hadn't been wearing when the spell hit.  Had he just changed her?  Or had he taken other liberties when he was undressing her?  Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore.  In a jiffy she was out of bed, dressed, and working on getting all her homework done in advance.  She still had another two hours before breakfast would start, and she didn't much fancy sitting around contemplating exactly what the bastard had done to her.

            Draco Malfoy awoke already happy.  The instant his mind slipped into consciousness, he remembered that Ginny had fallen asleep next to him.  With a smile he turned to where she was sleeping, ready to hear her thank him for letting her sleep in the bed.  Yes, if only for a few minutes, Ginny was going to have something nice to say, and he was quite looking forward to having her behave for once.  When he faced the spot where his Ginny was supposed to be, he found instead that he was facing an empty bed.  Instantly, he sat up and looked around the room, only to find Ginny dressed and sitting at the table doing homework.

            "You're welcome," he said acidly.

            She whipped around; obviously startled that he'd spoken.

            "Excuse me?" she said, her eyes narrowed.

            "You're welcome for letting you sleep in the bed.  I gave you something you've been asking for, I expect to be thanked."

            "_Thanked,_" she said quietly, her eyes growing wide in disbelief.  "You put a sleeping spell on me, and I wake up to find myself in different clothes than I went to sleep in, and you expect me to thank you?  For what?  For doing who knows what while I'm asleep?  For all I know you got desperate enough to rape me again!"

            Unbelievable, he'd been so nice to her last night, and all she could do now was accuse him of being a cowardly pig who had to reduce himself to putting girls under spells to get any.  Granted, he'd wanted to get her riled up with the whole nightgown affair, but really, his goal was to get her thinking that he'd seen her body again, not that he'd done _that_ to her while she wasn't even in a state to remember it.

            He was towering above Ginny in two seconds flat, enraged.  How _dare_ that little whore be so disrespectful?  Ginny, at least, had the good grace to look appropriately terrified of him.

             "Does my little wife request another silencing spell with her tirade?" he asked in a deadly whisper.  "Or perhaps she enjoys sleeping on the floor, hmm?"  He bent down so his face was only inches from hers, putting his hands on the arms of the chairs to prohibit her from leaving.  Trapped, her eyes darted around, looking for a way out, but he would not allow her any escape.  For once, he had the physical and the emotional advantage and he had no intentions of letting it fall to her.  "Or maybe," he said, quieter still, "she wishes to spend the day locked in her room under a full body bind again?"  

            "Classes," she choked out, "I've got to go to classes."

            Draco shrugged, "can't one of your brother's candies take care of that?"

            Ginny didn't reply, perhaps because she knew he was right.

            "I've had enough of you lip Virginia.  You are my wife, and it's time you started acting like it.  Now, are we going to be nice and quiet like a good little wife should?" he was still only inches from her, and trying his very best to unnerve her, to force her to become placid and predictable again instead of this wild hellcat he couldn't handle.

            "N-no," she stuttered.

            "What?" he asked.

            "No," she spoke up gaining confidence.  "I will not be quiet so you can feel like you're always right. I hate you.  You horrible little—"

            But Ginny's sentence was finished with a gasp as Draco yanked her up from the chair, kicked it across the room with such a clatter that Ginny was sure it was broken, then dropped her onto the ground again.

            "Then I suppose you'll continue to sleep on the floor, and I'll have to put a silencing spell on you every night won't I?  That will teach you to be nice and quiet!" he said, still standing over her. 

Ginny considered this.  She hated that silencing spell, but even more she hated being on the floor.  She couldn't do it anymore.  It was worth a little bit of her pride to plead with Draco if it meant never having to sleep on that horrid stone floor again.

            He raised his wand, ready to fire off another silencing spell, actually amazed that he hadn't thought of them before.

            "Draco no!" Ginny suddenly pleaded, turning her face up to him.

            "Please let me sleep in the bed.  I promise I'm not thinking about Harry!  Harry and I are in a fight," she blurted out without thinking, "I just want to sleep in the bed.  I hate the floor; I actually dread sleeping at night because it's so cold and all.  I actually only sleep while you're gone in the evenings.  Please," she pleaded, "_don't_ make me sleep on the floor anymore.  _Please._"

            "Potter and you are in a _fight_?" he asked.  Ginny snapped her mouth shut, not believing her own stupidity.  How on earth was she going to get out of this one?  She couldn't even tell him what the fight was about with him freaking out on her.  She tried to think of an excuse but the silence while Draco waited for an answer was becoming deafening.  And in the absence of any better idea, she said the first thing that came to mind.

            "No!  No we didn't; I lied.  I'm just so sick of the floor and—"

            "You saw him when you took the charm off the door didn't you."

            "No!"  Ginny's mind was reeling.  She needed to find a way out of this one before Draco ran completely off his rocker.  "I—that is he—I mean—"

            "Spit it out!" he bellowed, jabbing his wand at her, "before I make you!"  Ginny had seen Draco mad more times then she cared to count, but she'd never seen him_ this_ mad.  Usually, when he got mad, he became much more swift, calm and collected; that was terrifying, but now he was in a violent furry.  She'd never seen him so mad.  The hand that was holding his wand was visibly shaking; this mad rage was worse.  The thing about Draco was, that he was a fairly predictable person.  Ginny almost instinctively knew what he would say and do in a given situation, but this boiling anger was new to her.  What would he do?  How would he act?

            "He's been writing me notes!" she finally blurted after the silencing had become deafening.

            "Notes?"

            "Yes notes, but they…self-destruct, so I don't have any anymore," Ginny said, a plan now spinning in her head.

            Draco was a silent, eyes narrowed in furious contemplation.

            "I haven't been seeing him, but I have been slipping him notes at lunch. He's not happy about our relationship you know, and I can't find time to get away from you to spend with him.  His notes keep telling me to meet him places, but I can't because I can't get out of this room.  Once I was able to I didn't want to spend the time alone with him getting yelled at for something I can't help."  Ginny finally slowed her breathing down when she realized her story was a good one.

            "And what do _your_ notes say?"

            Ginny swallowed and allowed herself a brief second to form a suitable answer.

            "Not-not much.  At first they were just the "Don't worry I'm fine.  He's only really making me sleep on the floor," type, but lately we've just been arguing.  I couldn't put self-destructing spells on mine, but I'm sure he's gotten rid of them."  She attempted a vague little laugh before continuing, "he probably set them up in flames; he's been so mad lately."

            Inhaling deeply, Draco considered Ginny's statements.  Her breathing was normal, and she didn't really seem to be lying to him.  But then again, she was normal before and she'd been lying.  No, he corrected himself; she hadn't been lying before.  Making his decision, he bent down and grabbed Ginny's robes, hauling her up so her face was only an inch from his.

            "If I ever find out that one word of what you said today isn't true," he growled, "I will pull you out of school and you'll spend your days locked in a cell with only a tutor to see.  Don't think I won't.  I've about had enough of you, and a nice long break while you spend your seventh year rotting away in the dungeons sounds marvelous about now. So I wouldn't push me if I were you, Virginia.  It's not in your best interest."  Saying so, Draco summoned his toiletries to him and left for the shower.

            Alone, Ginny tried not to think about what Draco had just said, but she found that battle rather pointless, and in the end, she gave in to worry.  She tired to reassure herself that Draco would never find out that she was lying.  He'd _never_ find out that she and Harry had actually seen one another twice. Never!  Thoughts like this continued through all of breakfast, morning classes, lunch (which was eaten at the Slytherin table on account that Ginny was to scared to try and promise Ron that she'd sit with him), through afternoon classes, and again through dinner.

            "Wand!" Draco demanded as soon as they were out of earshot of the rest of the school, "now!"

            Ginny reluctantly handed over her wand.  All she wanted to do was sleep right now, and forget that Draco Malfoy even existed.  She didn't care that her mind hadn't been in any of her classes today.  All she wanted to do was sleep and wake up once the horror had passed.  Somewhere, deep down inside, she knew that the horror would never pass, and that thought only made her want to sleep more.            

           Lying in bed after Draco had left, she stared up at the ceiling, unable to sleep, and thought longingly of being free.   She sighed, but life wouldn't allow her freedom.  For as long as she lived, she belonged to Draco Malfoy.  For the rest of her life she would be subjected to threats, beatings, and occasional rapes.  Really though, there was an escape.  It was only for the rest of her _life_ that she was subjected to Draco Malfoy's hands and demands.  What if she were to end it? 

            She'd tried it before, just after the contract was signed, but all those attempts had been half thought out, and all of them would have been messy. But what if she were to plan it so that it looked like an accident?  Certain potions, when stirred the wrong way, or when the ingredients were added in the wrong order, become the most deadly of poisons.  It would only take one brewing, and she could hide it in here if she could only get the ingredients.  Unfortunately, Draco had made a big show out of putting the charm back on the door, so they'd have to be brought to her…

            "Ginny?" a voice interrupted her brooding.  Her head snapped up to see Harry walking in the door.

            "DON'T CLOSE THE DOOR!" she yelled.  "The charms back up, Draco caught me outside yesterday!"

            "Are you okay?" he asked, coming inside but leaving the door open the slightest fraction of an inch. "What did he do to you?" his tone was worried.

            Ginny was silent for a minute while she thought about a way to get rid of Harry.  She was enjoying her brooding, and she wasn't in the mood for Harry to come and try to apologize when he really wasn't sorry; he really just wanted to do the 'right thing.'

            "I'm fine.  Just the usual, you know.  I got yelled at.  He yanked me around a bit, and in the end I got threatened with a fate worse than death," she said flatly.  

            "Are you okay?" he asked again, obviously worried by her unchanging tone.

            "I said I'm fine."

            "Ginny I'm sorry."

~

            Draco Malfoy stormed back from the library, annoyed that he'd forgotten his textbook, _again._  He rounded the corner into the hallway where his room was and froze.  He'd left the door open an inch or so.  No doubt Ginny had noticed this, too, and was now off in some abandoned classroom with Potter saying something like, 'and he actually believed me!' while she let Scarface run his hands all over her body.  The body that belonged to HIM!  As her husband, he owned that body.  It wasn't even her own anymore.  It was _his._  As he got closer to the room he heard voices.  Ginny's voice, sounding more flat and dead then he'd ever head her sound.  He was about to yank the door open and kill whoever had dared to enter their room, when Ginny's words drifted to his ears from the open door.

            "Look Harry, I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now okay?  I'm tired, I've just spent the day trying to find ways to avoid getting killed by my husband, and I want to sleep in the bed before said husband banishes me to the floor for the night.  So please leave!" she said, and turned her back on him.

            "Ginny I—"  

            "Harry go!  Leave me in peace, that's all I want from you right now."

            "Gin—"

            "GO AWAY HARRY!" she yelled and buried her face in her pillow.  Harry sighed and turned to leave.

            Draco couldn't believe his ears.  Ginny had just turned Harry away.  Of course, she had been complaining about him earlier, but he _was_ making her sleep on the floor, and he was doing it because he knew she hated it.  Ginny would be his tonight.  If she'd just turned Potter away like that she wouldn't dare think of Potter whilst she was under him this time.  When Harry turned to leave, Draco ducked into an old broom closet across the hall.  Seducing her tonight would go much smoother if she didn't know that he knew about her turning Potter away.

            He waited five minutes after Harry's footsteps had faded away before entering the room to find Ginny still face down in the pillow.

            "I thought I told you to—" but she stopped mid sentence when she pulled her head up from the pillow to look at him.  For the briefest instant, her eyes got huge, before she recovered and said, "—er—go to hell Malfoy."

            "You most certainly said no such thing," Draco said, catching her mistake almost as soon as she did, and deciding to gloss over it.  "You don't look happy," he said.

            She scoffed, "'cause I've so much to be happy about," she rolled her eyes, but Draco wasn't listening, instead, he was looking at her school shirt and picturing what she looked like underneath.  Without wasting another second, Draco undid the first button and let his lips follow his fingertips.  He was already excited at the very idea of being inside of Ginny again, but her little sigh sent a thrill straight through him.

            Ginny lay under Draco and couldn't quite suppress a resigned sigh.  '_Well here we go again,'_ she thought, '_I suppose I'll just wait until he's all worked up before pulling the 'oh Harry,' thing again.'_  Ginny wasn't in the mood at all.  It took awhile before Draco roaming hands and deft tongue could warm her up.  This time though, she didn't even attempt to not enjoy it.  He undressed her slowly, his hands touching her on the stomach and caressing her inner thigh, but never moving to where she really wanted them.  He paid attention to all the little things on her body, like the back of her knee, or that one spot on her neck.  She thought she was going to simply faint with pleasure when his tongue slowly circled her chest before he finally took her into his mouth.  She gasped, then sighed with delirious pleasure, letting all her worries by forgotten as Draco felt out all of her most sensitive spots.  He was torturing her, kissing his way down her abdomen, then letting only the very tip top of his fingertips brush for the briefest of seconds where she craved him the most, before running his tongue down her leg and slowly kissing his way back up.

            "Please," she finally breathed out after he had done this for the third time.  Immediately, she realized her mistake.  She'd just made Draco Malfoy feel wanted, "Please Harry," she breathed out again, and prepared her body for a slap of some sort, but much to her surprise, it never came.  Instead, Draco chuckled and trailed his hot breath up her body before whispering in her ear.

            "Mmm, I heard you turn him away earlier," he whispered huskily, "I know you're rather upset with him at the moment."

            "Came on his own," Ginny immediately tried to reason, "didn't invite him," she tried forming whole sentences but Draco's hands were still roaming her body.  "Hermione…helped find me… I suppose—"

            "Shhh," Draco said and kissed her open mouth with a surprising amount of force, "I know you didn't invite him," and his mouth returned to pleasing her body.

            Much too delirious with pleasure, Ginny let Draco have his way.

            "Please," she said again, arching up her back.  Draco smiled and ignored her, enjoying her struggle.

He took his time, torturing her by making her wait.  It was a silent lesson, teaching her who controlled everything.  

'Please," she said more desperately than before once he lay almost atop her, ready to give her what she wanted most. 

            "Please what?" he breathed in her ear.

            "P-please Draco," she whispered back, hating herself for it.

            Draco obliged, and committed to memory each little animal noise that Ginny made.  Here was his pet, all his.  She was under him, begging him to give her the pleasure that only he knew how to give and only he _had_ given her.  Once finished, he collapsed next to her and brushed a few red tresses away from her face.

            "You can sleep in the bed tonight," he whispered, planting a kiss on her forehead.  Obviously exhausted, Ginny nodded and pulled the covers up around her, nestling into them and trying to get comfortable.          

            Both the lovers were asleep in minutes.

**Author's Note:** If you want to be placed on the e-mail update list, please say so in your review.  Don't forget to put your e-mail address in there too!


	17. Chapter Seventeen

            Ginny awoke with the distinctive feeling of being exceedingly comfortable. It was odd, her sleep-addled brain thought, how one could wake up and her first thought would be, 'I'm warm; I'm comfortable. What's wrong?' Her mind was further convinced of the lack of 'rightness' when she suddenly realized she was without clothes. Further inspection revealed that an equally naked Draco Malfoy was lying next to her. Last night came back in startling clarity, and Ginny felt herself start to blush. Had she really been so deep in the moment, that she had actually asked Draco Malfoy for it? Her face burned again, but this time in shame. She couldn't believe it! Well, there was simply only one thing to do. She'd have to make her amends with Harry. There was no way around it. It didn't matter how many boring Quidditch details she had to listen to. She needed Harry as a weapon, a very powerful weapon against Draco Malfoy.

            'And,' her brain further reasoned, 'Harry needs to be happy; we need him to defeat Voldermort, and he can't very well concentrate on getting rid of You-Know-Who when he's so worried about Quidditch.' Herreasons were feeble, and she knew it, but that didn't stop her from using them.

            Beside her, Draco Malfoy stirred and woke up.

            "Morning love," he mumbled and sleepily wrapped his arms around her, pulling their forms together. "Last night was lovely," he continued into her ear. For her part, Ginny begged to differ. Sure, last night had felt good, but it hadn't been lovely. Lovely was being with someone you had feelings for, not being seduced into submission.

            Ginny made a non-committal noise and tried to delicately pull away from Draco, but Draco held fast, determined to keep his pet the way he liked her.

            "I can't believe you were really fighting with Potter," Draco said, easily running his hands across her slightly pregnant stomach. Ginny made the same noise and again tried to squirm away.

            "Stop," she said, "we're going to be late for breakfast if you keep that up." She would have simply pushed his hands off her body and gotten up, but she needed to make up with Harry sometime, which meant she needed Draco in a good mood. It was ironic; she wanted Harry back, so she could upset Draco, but to get Harry back, she had to pretend to be Draco's perfect little, "Malfoy wife." She hated hated acting complacent and obedient. It reminded her much too much of last August. She didn't care how many fights and bruises she had to put up with so long as she could remain herself. This was only for a day or two. She could do it!

            "We've got an hour before we need to be down to breakfast," Draco said and now his left hand joined his right on Ginny's body.

            Ginny closed her eyes and concentrated very hard on Professor Snape, Quidditch, flubberworms, and any number of disgusting or mundane things. 

            "We can just use a few scougifys. I don't like doing that much either, but I'm willing to sacrifice." 

            Draco's mouth was now paying attention to that spot on her neck and Ginny's thoughts were now sounding something like, 'FLUBERWORMS, Fluberworms, fluberwormmm...'

            "Stop," she managed aloud, "we'll be tired all day." Draco ignored her and plunged on. Ginny was mad. Her body was betraying her! How dare it enjoy pleasure at the hands of a monster? Ginny lay still under him, trying to reason her way into enjoying this. She was really quite helpless under him like this. He was heavier and stronger, and with both their wands locked up in his trunk, there was no way for her to defeat him. She was a victim, just as she was a victim when he was rough with her. She lay under him, hating herself for enjoying this, but satisfied that she was doing nothing to provoke it. It was as if Draco knew her thoughts though, because he wouldn't let either of them finish until she asked for it again. She did, but only under the pretence that she would be distracted the rest of the day if she didn't.

            Once he was finished, he ran a hand smoothly down her spine, but she lay motionless under it. She hated herself for enjoying that, and she hated Draco Malfoy for making her enjoy that.

            That morning, she was as pleasant as she could possibly be, and Draco lapped it right up.  Ginny was amazed at how easily Draco forgot that she'd shouted that she hated him at least two dozen times in the last few weeks.  It was really quite sad.

            '_Pathetic little git, aren't you?'_ she thought as they walked down to breakfast arm in arm.

            Draco looked at Ginny.  Was it true?  Was she finally coming around?  Is this what getting rid of Potter did to her?  She'd given herself to him twice, _twice_ in twenty-four hours!

            Breakfast was a surprisingly enjoyable affair despite the fact that she had to pretend to be complete infatuated with Draco.  She was desperately trying to keep the conversation on house points.  Slytherin and Gryffindor were neck and neck for the lead and what she was planning would require Draco to remember just that.  Not only did this mean that her mind was constantly working, but it also meant that she didn't have to listen to any of Pansy's drivel about robes and color motifs.

            "Well ever since I've been married to Draco," she said, with a self-forced smile at Draco, "I've found that the teachers are taking more and more points from Gryffindor for minor infringements, and I never get the benefit of the doubt."  Ginny had been sitting at the Slytherin table long enough and heard enough anti-Gryffindor sentiment to know exactly what buttons to push.

            "Well that's the classic house prejudice for you right there!"  Elizabeth Avery shot.

            "Too true," her brother agreed.  "We're right up there with Gryffindor for house points, and no one's willing to let precious Potter lose a point today men," it never ceased to irk Ginny how, at the Slytherin table, the 'men' always addressed one another as if the 'ladies' weren't present, "we're just going to have to be on our best behavior and not do anything wrong."

            There was a silence at the table and Ginny didn't quite know what to do, but she was saved from wondering when Pansy Parkinson burst into giggles and the rest of the table followed suit.  Ginny, of course, found herself laughing with them.

            "But seriously," Edward Avery said wiping tears away from his eyes, "let's just all be on time to classes today, and don't do anything that can get us caught."

            "It's a shame we don't have Potions," Draco blurted out, "I mean, Snape's the only teacher left who will take points away from Potter." 

            Ginny wanted to disagree but found herself unable.  It _was_ untrue.  Hermione had told her that Harry had lost ten points in Transfiguration when he fell asleep and snorted loudly.  Although… on the other side of the coin, if Draco had fallen asleep in Transfiguration, he would have lost at least thirty points.

            "I suppose Snape will just have ample reason to take points from Potter come Thursday," Elizabeth said with a sly grin.

            Ginny was surprised the conversation had gone so well.  They had said everything she hoped they would and all she had needed to do was bring up house points!

            Once they were leaving, Ginny waited until she saw which way the trio was going and hit her head.

            "Oi!  I forgot my Transfiguration text!" Ginny said,  "Draco, won't you come back to our room with me to get it?"

            Draco hesitated, and Ginny could see the wheels turning in his head.

           '_Well,'_ he thought, '_I'll be late to Care of Magical creatures if I don't leave right now, and That Great Oaf would just love to subtract points from Slytherin.  She's been really good lately and she wouldn't have time to do anything besides go back to the room if she wanted to be on time to Charms.  If she's late, she'll lose points and I'll see that on the hourglass.  Of course, if she already has the book with her, then she has a good ten minutes to lollygag around with that mudblood."_ Draco hesitated for a second longer before saying, "why don't you let me take a look in your bag and see if I can find it, honey?"

            Ginny nodded and handed Draco the bag.  She didn't bother being nervous about whether or not he'd find the book.  The lovely (and illegal) thing about her new bag was that it repaired itself automatically.  All Ginny had had to do was rip a seam and stuff the book in the lining.  Draco hastily pulled out all of her books and made sure she didn't have the Transfiguration book.  She didn't; Draco was pleased to see.

            "Grab your book and go straight to Charms," Draco commanded, handing her her bag.

            Ginny nodded and jetted off in the direction of their room, but veered at once in the direction of Gryffindor tower.  She caught up to them in a mercifully abandoned corridor and started talking.

            "Meet me in my room tonight Harry; we need to talk."

            "Can't. Quidditch," he replied.

            Ginny let out a curse word under her breath but replied, 'fine, tomorrow then." Harry nodded and Ginny dashed to charms, making it in just before the bell rang.

~

            "I'm going to Quiddtich practice dear," Draco said that Thursday evening.  Ginny nodded but didn't look up from the book she was reading.  All in all, it was a good thing that Harry hadn't been able to come last night because Draco hadn't left.  She'd become so used to not having Draco there at night that it hadn't so much as occurred to her that he wouldn't be leaving now that he thought she was devoted again.  She hated acting like this; it felt so horrible to let Draco touch her, to _enjoy_ Draco touching her.  Every ounce of her skin got goose bumps when she even thought of it.  There was simply no argument against it; Harry needed to come back to her.  Once he was back, she would have her weapon again.  He'd provide the means to making Draco hate her once more.

            "Bye Luv," she muttered, turning the page.  Draco walked up and kissed her on the cheek then left, closing the still charmed door behind him.

            It was a whole hour before Harry appeared at her door.  She was just growing slightly annoyed thinking that he had stood her up when the door swung open to reveal none other than Harry himself.

            "Ginny?" he said, "Ginny are you okay?  You seemed really worried yesterday."

            "I'm fine, I just had to talk to you and then get to Charms on time," Ginny said casually, setting down her book.

            "Oh," Harry said, sitting carefully down next to her, "Er—right, so do you think you want to er—talk, maybe?"

            "Right, talk," Ginny said and opened her mouth to launch into her carefully prepared speech, "listen Harry, I'm sorry that you were going through all that, and I should have listened, but I was stressed and only thinking of myself at the time.  I hate Malfoy and I've always sort of had you, or the idea of you, to hold me up through that, so when I felt like you weren't going to be there, I felt sort of lost; you know?  And then when you came and saw me again a few nights ago, I was still really annoyed with you and Malfoy and I didn't want you to come in and muddle up my emotions any more than they already were.  I'm sorry I acted the way I did and I'd still really like to be together, if we can."

            Harry, who had listened intently through her whole speech nodded and took a deep breath, "Ginny, I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have brushed off Malfoy, but I was hurt that you just acted like all I was going through was nothing, when I've sat here and listened to all you've had to say tons of times."

            "I know—I just—can't stand him," Ginny said with a shudder, "but tell me about the stuff that's going on with you."  Harry started talking and Ginny repressed a sigh and readied herself to listen to Harry's 'problems.'

~

            Quidditch practice was not going as planned.  It was raining and cold and Draco finally decided to call off practice after he'd managed to miss the snitch twice in a row and couldn't stand another embarrassment of the sort.  He trudged up to the room, cold, wet and constantly brushing his blonde hair out of his face.  He barely noticed that the door was cracked open a tiny bit, but when he reached for the knob he heard Ginny's voice.

            "I hate him," he heard.  Draco rolled his eyes_. 'Silly girl talking to herself about Potter,_' he thought.

            "I don't blame you sweety," another voice said.  Draco stopped dead when he realized exactly whose voice it was--Potter's, and he was using a term of endearment. He felt a hot rage coming over him.  What had happened to their fight?  Why on _earth_ was Ginny allowing Potter to call her 'sweety?'

           _'She must be leading him on!'_ his mind told him. '_Just watch her.  She'll tell him off!' _ Moving closer to the crack in the door he found his wife laying on the bed with Potter, his arm draped around her middle, and she was pillowing her head on his chest.  He felt his stomach give a sickening jolt, but still managed to convince himself that Ginny was playing Potter.

            "Let's pretend, just for a bit, that there is no Draco, no war, no You-know-Who--"

            "Pretend it's just us, alone on this bed without a care in the world?" Potter interrupted her.

            "Exactly." Draco watched Ginny snuggle even closer to Potter and his blood began to boil. '

           _She's leading him along… she's leading him along…' he allowed his brain to chant the mantra. _

            "So let's say I gave this to you." Potter held up Ginny's left hand to display her wedding ring.  They wedding ring _he_, Draco, had given to Ginny, not Potter!

            "And this is yours," Ginny said and moved Potter's hand down to her swelling belly.

            "Oh can I name him?" Harry asked earnestly

            "Of course," Ginny said.            

            "Well," Potter hesitated, "I'm not good with this, what do you like?"

            "Me?  I'm fond of the name Joshua." Ginny chirped.

            "I like it.  So Joshua James Potter it is?"

            "Sounds marvelous." Ginny cooed before moving in to kiss Potter right on the lips.  He heard Potter groan and saw him slip his hand up her shirt to rest on her back.  An untamable rage began to build in Draco.  How dare Potter kiss his wife?  How dare that little whore lie in bed with Potter like she used to do with him and show complete dedication?  It was only then that he couldn't deny it anymore.  Ginny wasn't leading Potter along.  She was with him again!  He hated her.  He _loathed _the whore.  With a sudden rush of adrenaline Draco flung open the door, sending it crashing into the opposite wall.  Ginny and Potter practically flew apart.

            "Get out!" he seethed to Harry.

            "No," Harry stammered.

            "Get out of my room right now!" he yelled, almost hoping that Potter would refuse again so he could punch him; It'd feel so good to feel Potter's nose breaking under his fist.  He cracked his knuckles, picturing them connecting with Potter's glasses.

            "Promise you won't hurt her," Potter said evenly.

            Leave it to Potter to be reasonable the one time he was hoping he'd be a nosy bastard.

            "I don't think that it is any of your business what I do to my little whore of a wife." He cast a look at Ginny who recoiled slightly.  _'Come on.  Defend her.  Give me a reason to pound your face into a bloody pulp.'_

            "I think it's plenty of my business if you're going to hurt her."

            "I won't touch her Potter.  She is carrying _my_ child after all."  Perhaps, if he kept tormenting him, Potter would lunge at him first. 

            Harry studied Draco, as if to check to see if he was lying before pulling the invisibility cloak on and leaving.  Draco waited placidly until Harry's footsteps had faded from earshot before slamming the door violently with a wave of his wand.  Ginny let out a petrified little scream.

            "You should scream; you dirty little whore!  How dare you so much as think of cheating on me?  When I get through with you you'll _wish _you were _dead_ Virginia.  I'm sending you straight home!"

            "We didn't do anything!" she protested.

            "Didn't do anything my arse!  I saw you lying on the bed with him acting like you were married to him," he paused. "You're married to me!" he yelled in case she needed reminding.

            "Don't you get it!" she yelled, "I hate you! I hate everything about you!  I hate the way you breathe, the way you stand, the way you walk, talk and act.  I always have and I always will.  I want nothing to do with you.  I hate you!  I hate you! I hate you!" Ginny screamed at the top of her lungs.  Draco tried not to let the hurt show on his face.  

            "You little whore!" he shouted.  "I don't care how much you hate me.  We're _married_ you pathetic red-haired pauper.  You promised to obey me, and you will obey me when I tell you to stay the hell away from Potter.  And if you won't obey me, you'll spend your time at home, locked in a cell until you _learn_ to obey me!"

            "You just want to see me miserable.  It's your own stupid ego that wants to keep me away from Harry.  You don't care for me at all.  If you really cared about me, instead of your own stupid _pathetic_ ego you wouldn't be threatening me, your _wife_, with such a horrible fate!"

            "How could I care for a little whore who sleeps around?"

            "I haven't slept with Harry!" she countered, "I'm still too traumatized by your fumbling antics to even _think_ about sleep around."

            "You seemed to enjoy it at the time."

            "Only because it was the only way to get away from you.  We've covered this.  I hate you!  I hated you at that time.  Every time you touched me I felt like bathing for hours." 

            She had crossed the line.  "Why you little—" he said advancing on her and grabbing her forearm.

          "Try it," she said, "Harry spilled the last of the bruise Potion when we got into our fight." 

           Draco eyes narrowed.  "Did he now?  But you know I'm a Death Eater.  The Cruciatus curse doesn't leave any bruises does it?"  He smiled when he saw the smug look fall from her face and morph into one of absolute fear.  "That's what I thought."

            "You wouldn't," she said slowly trying to wrench her arm from his grasp, "the baby," she continued in disbelief.

            Draco, who had no actual intention of doing the curse, raised his wand.  With a final wrench, Ginny pulled her arm from him and sprinted from the room.  She fled as fast as her feet would carry her. 

            Draco smiled and put his wand back into his robes.  He listened to Ginny's attempt at hurrying footsteps. That would teach The Whore to stay away from Potter and to mind him.

            Ginny was frantically trying to put as much distance as possible between Draco and her.  She hadn't had such an urge to flee since that night in August.  Desperate to get away, she hastily turned down a staircase and began to sprint down it without minding her feet, but halfway down her foot got caught in the hem of her nightgown and she tripped.  She gave a scream and then she and her baby fell down a dozen steps.

            Draco stopped smiling when he heard the sound of a female scream followed by the sound of a human body thumping down a number of steps.  He didn't have time to feel spiteful; no, his stomach dropped and he was running down Hogwart's halls to find Ginny.  His heart was pounding in his chest.  What if she was _dead?_ He found her at the bottom of a rather long staircase holding her stomach.  He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.  She was alive!

            "Are you okay?" he asked running down the stairs and kneeling by her.

            "Do I look okay?" she seethed.  

            "Why'd you run away? You're bleeding," Draco said, his rush of caring easily forgotten when he remembered how nasty Ginny really could be.  Perhaps it would have been better if she had died.

            "I need to go to the hospital wing," she said, unsuccessfully trying to stand up.  Draco watched her try numerous times before she finally got frustrated enough to hiss, "Well help me up you moron!"  Draco briefly considered leaving her there, figuring that if she was well enough to insult him, she was damn well enough to find her own way to the hospital wing, but she was bleeding, and he had been brought up to never leave a lady in trouble.  So with a grunt, he scooped her into his arms and started towards the hospital wing.  He smiled in spite of Ginny's pain; she was so dependent again.  Perhaps this nasty fall would teach her not to mess with Draco Thomas Malfoy.

            Ginny hated being in Draco's arms.  She had the most distinct feeling he got some sort of perverse pleasure out of carrying her.  Had she been able to walk, she would have bolted from his arms, but she didn't.  The blood wasn't coming from any open wound; it was coming from deep within.  She had a sinking feeling she had lost her baby.

            Draco set Ginny down on an empty bed and knocked rapidly on Madame Pomfrey's office door.

            "Mr. Malfoy!" Madame Pomfrey said when she appeared in the doorway wearing a dressing robe.

            "My wife," Draco drawled, "she was going to the bathroom and she tripped."

            "Mrs. Malfoy!" Madame Pomprhey said alarmed when she saw Ginny in the bed, blood covering her robes.  Ginny scowled, she didn't think she would ever get used to being called Mrs. _Malfoy_.

            "Get to bed Mr. Malfoy."  Madame Pomfrey commanded.  "I'll deal with your wife.  You may visit her in the morning."

            Draco walked calmly to his room, but he was a little worried now.  Madame Pomfrey was infamous for shooing visiting students away but every time he'd seen a student to the hospital wing in the past, Madame Pomfrey had acted as though the student was complaining of nothing, whether it was a head cold or a head injury.  Was his Ginny in trouble?  What's more, was the baby in trouble?  He didn't want to admit it to anyone, even himself, but he had nothing but high hopes in that baby.  What if it was gone?  Was it his fault?  Ginny was the one who ran, but she wouldn't have if…

            A nasty feeling began to stir in his stomach.  It felt like someone was reaching inside with ice-cold fingers and twisting his stomach until he felt that he might be sick.  Draco returned to his room and slept alone in their bed.  The small bed had never felt so empty before. 

            "Mrs. Malfoy," Madame Pomfrey said as she hovered over Ginny, "what happened that would cause you to go tromping around in the middle of the night?"

            "I had to go to the bathroom," she found the Contract forcing her to say, when she wanted to yell, 'he was threatening to curse me!'

            The nurse made a sound like she didn't believe _that_ for a second, but blessed Madame Pomfrey never asked questions. 

            "Drink this," she said pouring a particularly foul- tasting potion down her throat.

            "This is a very critical night for you," Madame Pomfrey said and handed her a goblet of dreamless sleep potions.  In seconds, Mrs. Malfoy was out like a light.

            Ginny awoke the next day to Madam Pomfrey's face hovering uncomfortably close to hers.

            "Why didn't you tell anyone you were pregnant?" she asked immediately.

            "Pregnant?  I'm pregnant?  I didn't know," she found herself saying.

            "Come now Miss. Weasley, you were four months along."

            "Draco says I'm under a Confundus Charm from August, maybe that's it."

            Madame Pomfrey made a non-committal noise before handing her another goblet and commanding her to drink it.

            "Well, am I still?" Ginny asked quietly, fearing the answer.

            Madam Pomfrey regarded her for a second, but her stern gaze softened and she answered quietly in return.

            "No Mrs. Malfoy, I'm afraid you are not."

            Ginny nodded.  Of course she'd known last night that there was no hope of saving the child, but this was a definite no.  There would be no Joshua, or Thomas.  There'd be no little bundle to cradle in her arms or show off to friends and family.  The worst thing was that she couldn't even show how upset she was.  How could she be upset over a baby she didn't know about until thirty seconds ago?

            "I'll leave you alone." Madame Pomfrey said, somehow sensing that she needed solitude.  The instant she heard the click of the door shutting Ginny broke, and a flood of tears came rushing down.  Angrily, she wiped them away.  She'd promised herself she wouldn't cry anymore.  But this was a different sort of grief.  She was mourning a lost life now.

~

           Draco was sitting in double Potions class the next day not paying any particular attention to Snape.  Snape still needed him to put in a good word with his Father, and that's all that mattered to Draco.  He was slightly worried about Ginny; his father would never forgive either of them if she lost that baby.

            "Mr. Malfoy!" he heard Snape call sharply.

            "Huh," he said snapping out of his stupor and causing the Gryffindors to laugh.  The Slytherins, however, knew better.

            "Someone is here to see you," he said nodding to the door.  Draco looked to see Madame Pomfrey standing there with Weasley. He got up and followed Madame Pomfrey's lead towards the door.

            Harry watched Madame Pomfrey lead Ron and Malfoy away.  There was only one person who could be in hospital wing if Madame Pomfrey wanted to talk to those two particular people; it was Ginny, and Harry knew exactly what or rather who put her there.

            Ron knew what this was about, too.  Harry had come up late to the dorm and had quietly told him what had happened.  He didn't particularly like hearing about Harry and Ginny being romantically involved, but Ginny was so miserable with Draco that he supposed Harry was the lesser of two evils. 

            Madame Pomfrey started telling them why they were pulled out of potions class as she led them up to the hospital wing. "I'm afraid I have some news for the two of you," she paused and regarded each of them somberly; "Mrs. Malfoy lost the child last night." It struck Draco that Madame Pomfrey acted as if they both knew about Thomas.  Wouldn't the contract have forbidden Ginny to tell Madame Pomfrey she was pregnant?

            "Is Ginny okay?" Ron jumped in.  Draco scowled, leave it to Weasley to not even think about the baby.

            "Your sister is fine Mr. Weasley."

            "Mr. Malfoy, perhaps you want to go in and visit with her.  I'm sure she needs you.  Mr. Weasley, why don't you wait a bit and give Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy some time alone?"  Ron nodded and Draco entered the hospital wing.  He was tempted to tell Madam Pomfrey that he was the last person Mrs. Malfoy would want to see at the moment but held his tongue; he didn't think his father would be too fond of the idea.  He found Ginny sitting up, the curtains pulled around her bed, staring blankly into space.

            "Hi," he said, interrupting her thoughts and causing her to jump.

            "Hello," she said coldly.

            "Well you got your wish, the baby is gone.  I know you've been trying to make the best out of it lately, but you never _really_ wanted this child in the beginning."

            She snorted indignantly, "got my wish, huh?" 

            "Well you made it quite clear you wanted to get rid of the child back in November."

            _"Back in November _I wanted nothing to do with you!" she hissed turning towards him. "Now I'm stuck, married to you, and I don't even have a baby to show for it."

            "So we're going to have to get you pregnant again," he said, a smiling curling on his lips at the idea.

            "I'm sure there are spells where you don't actually have to _do_ anything."

            Draco shrugged; he'd let her believe that if she really wanted to.  

            "You know you could at least apologize," she carried on when he didn't reply to her statement.

            "Me?  What did I do?  You're the one who ran down that staircase like an idiot!"  The same sickening feeling from last night began to stir in his stomach at Ginny's words and he tried to shove it down again.

            "You were the one threatening to curse me!" she countered, "I was trying to save an unborn child from its father."

            Draco felt bile begin to rise in his throat.

            "Good job with that," he snorted immediately defensive.  "You know if you weren't such a whore sleeping with Potter—"

            "I did not sleep with Harry," she hissed again. "I've done nothing with Harry except a little kissing."

            Although Draco felt the smallest bit of relief at the news, he still cringed at the idea of .

            "Well at some point we're going to have to have children."  Draco bit back, trying to remind her whose wife she was.

            "There are spells—"

            "No there are not.  Trust me." Draco knew no such thing for sure, but for some reason, the thought of impregnating Ginny using some spell made him rather upset.

            "Hermione has mentioned something about Muggle methods," she mumbled.  Draco ignored her; there was no _way_ he was using any sort of Muggle method to get her pregnant either, but he didn't feel like having a row right now.  In fact, seeing Ginny all upset about the baby was making that sickening feeling in his gut much worse.  He wanted _out _of the hospital wing right now.  He didn't want to see her sitting there, looking worse than she had even on their wedding night.  The bile started to rise in his throat again.

            "Your brother is waiting outside," Draco choked out, hoping she would ask him to leave her alone.

            "Good.  Leave, and tell him I need to speak to him." 

            Draco allowed Ginny to order him around on account that he was too sick to even notice she was doing it.  Any moment now he was going to be literally sick and he had no intentions of doing it where Ginny could see him.  Thus, he could only manage a nod and, leaving the confines of Ginny's curtained cubicle, he saw Ron and told him that Ginny wished to speak with him.

            He turned down an empty corridor to head back to his room, only to come face to face with Harry Potter.  Ugh, he didn't feel like seeing Potter right now either.

            Wands forgotten, Harry shoved Draco Malfoy up against the wall.

            "What did you do to her?" he seethed through a clench jaw, as if opening it any further would result in a certain unforgivable curse slipping out.

            "I didn't touch her Potter," Draco replied, and although he would have liked nothing more than to see Potter walking through the halls covered in sick, he had no such desire to be the one to actually _throw-up_ on Potter.

            "Bullshit!" Harry countered.  "You expect me to believe that you found her lying in bed with another man, threatened her and she just _happens_ to be in the hospital wing the next morning?"

            Draco only nodded, scared that if _he_ opened _his_ mouth he'd throw-up.

            "How is the baby?  Did you hurt that, too? Have you already started abusing your unborn baby along with your wife?"

            Draco lost it.  He grabbed Harry and using all the strength he could, turned them around so Harry was the one slammed up against the wall.

            "I didn't touch her.  I didn't kill that baby.  None of this would have happened if you had kept your mitts off _my_ wife," Draco breathed.  This wasn't his fault!  It couldn't be his fault!

            "If you weren't so cold- hearted and evil perhaps your wife could keep her mitts of me!" Harry responded venomously.

            "Oh she'll keep away from you Potter," Draco said before letting Harry go and running away.  Harry straightened his robes and walked towards the hospital wing, never having noticed the stray hairs Draco had pulled off his robes.

~

            Draco ran to the nearest bathroom and threw-up.  What possessed him to act like this?  He rested his chin on the cool porcelain of the toilet and closed his eyes.  It _wasn't_ his fault.  It was _Ginny's_ fault.  She shouldn't have been with Potter.  She shouldn't have run away!  Not his fault!  Not his fault…

~

            "Harry!" Ginny squealed when he walked through her curtains.

            "Hey sweety," he said quietly.  "Are you okay?"

            "I'll be fine... but the baby—" she stopped; tears were choking her voice.

            "Aww sweety," he took her hand and started lightly stroking her hand with his thumb.

            "I'll leave you two alone," Ron said.

            "Come back later, won't you Ron?"

            "Of course.  I know you two just need a few moments when no one will notice Harry is here." 

            Ginny nodded, and Ron left.

            "Did Draco hit you Ginny?  I'll kill him if he did.  Me, Ron and Hermione will."

            Ginny shook her head, "no Harry, he didn't hit me.  After you left we got into a row. He threatened to curse me and while I was running away I tripped and fell down the staircase.  I don't know for sure but I'm willing to bet that it was that potion Mr. Malfoy put on my baby that really killed him.  I reckon the baby wasn't able to deal with the impact of the fall at all and died." 

            "Oh Gin.  It's all my fault!  If I had stayed, or maybe if I hadn't come at all last night, you'd still have little Joshua right now."

            "It's not your fault Harry.  It's all Draco's.  None of this would have happened if it wasn't for him."

            The teens chatted through the lunch hour until Madame Pomfrey shooed Harry away and he was forced to spend afternoon classes with his stomach rumbling in a combination of worry and hunger.

~

            Long after supper had adjourned, and the majority of the students were in their dormitories, Draco Malfoy could be found searching through his trunk for a vial he'd been saving for a long time.  It didn't take him long to find it and, he shook the potion it contained to make sure it was still good before adding the final ingredient—Harry's hair.  He smiled thinking of his plan.  The baby dying was Harry and Ginny's fault.  It always had been; he'd been so stupid to even consider for a second he played a part in it!  Now they would suffer.  He would take Potter away from Ginny forever and Ginny away from Potter.  His plan was simple enough really.  He would go to the hospital wing as Potter, tell Ginny it was over and to never speak to him again and then leave.  If he had any luck, not only would it keep Potter away from Ginny, it would essentially end any friendship between her brother and Potter.  The mud-blood would most certainly side with Weasley as she was also Ginny's friend.  Harry would be left alienated and without any friends. The potion changed a violent shade of Gryffindor scarlet, causing Draco to mutter, 'figures,' before he downed the vial's contents in one gulp. It tasted horrible and the pain that followed was even worse. It was all worth it, however, when he looked in the mirror and saw Harry Potter, scar and all staring back at him.  He raised his hand, so did Harry.  He pulled, or at least attempted to pull, his fingers through the gravity defying black hair, so did Harry.  Without wasting anymore time he transfigured his tie into Gryffindor colors, and set off towards the Hospital wing.

            Ginny was in a light sleep when she felt a hand on her arm gently shaking her.

            "Harry!" she exclaimed when she saw him.  There were very few times Draco could remember Ginny looking at him with that smile, and none of them were in the last six months.  He was intrigued.  Maybe a little chat would be fine.  It would, after all, only make the break-up that much harsher.

            "Hi sweety," he said after a second, using the pet name he had heard him call her the previous night.

            "Well don't just stand there!" she commanded holding up the sheets.  "Climb in and keep a married women warm."  Draco felt his blood begin to boil but forced himself to let it go.  Instead, when Ginny giggled a second later, he chuckled along with her and climbed in next to her.

            Draco lay down besides Ginny and she immediately snuggled up next to him.  It was a stance they had adopted many times during that fateful August, but Draco hadn't realized until now how much he'd really missed it.

            "Mmmm," Draco said, inhaling the scent of her hair, "I wish we could stay like this forever."

            Ginny weaseled one small, smooth, delicate leg in between his before replying, "wouldn't it be nice?"  There was a silence where Draco enjoyed having Ginny in his arms, and Ginny enjoyed being in Harry's.  This felt so _right_.  Ginny was where she belonged.  He ran his hands through her hair, reveling in the fact that Ginny wasn't unconscious when he was doing it.

           "I love you so much," she said.

            "I love you too, Virginia."  Draco said, but the words felt foreign.  He'd never said them before, or had anyone say them to him for that matter.

            "Virginia?"  Ginny said indignantly. "Don't call me Virginia.  Only Draco calls me Virginia.  I detest the name Virginia!"

                "So er--tell me about your studies," Draco said, having no idea how to keep up a casual conversation with her.  'Tell me about your studies' sounded sort of…Potter-ish.

            "Oh, they're just fine.  You know how I've become much more fond of Potions lately?  Well Snape is letting me work on a hard one because I've finished all that the sixth years are supposed to for the month.  Isn't that cool?"  she said, looking up at him with big brown eyes.  He swallowed and pulled her a little closer.  This felt so good!

            "Hello?"  Ginny said when Draco didn't answer.

             "What?" he asked, snapping back to reality.

             "I asked if you thought it was cool that I got to go ahead in Potions,"

           Draco laughed; he had never been fond of Snape. "If being around Snape is what you would call cool then I suppose so," he replied once he'd heard her question right.

            "I don't like _Snape_, I like _Potions._ There is a difference.  A subtle one, but it's there," Ginny said as she ran her freckled fingers through his hair.  He closed his eyes to enjoy her simple touch.  "I suppose so," he barely remembered to reply as he returned the favor and wove his hands through her hair again.

            "So tell me about how things are going with your studies," she said smiling up at him.

            "Oh the usual, everything is rather boring really," Draco replied honestly.  He'd been spending so much time in the library lately that classes had become a breeze now.

            "Surely you're worried about NEWTs," she said indignantly

            "They're a long way off," he replied truthfully, moving his hand from her hair to run it up her thigh.  Finally things were right.  His wife was here, with him, in bed, having a nice quiet discussion that didn't involve yelling or screaming.  Everything was perfect!

            "Funny," she said stifling a yawn, "that's not what you said last week."

            '_Last week_?' thought Draco. '_We've never discussed_—'

            "Harry," Ginny said interrupting his thoughts, "Don't you think its time you go back to bed.  I'm getting mighty sleepy and as much as I hate to see you go the last thing we need is for You Know Who to find us in bed together."

            "Why would the Dark Lord find—"

            Ginny snorted, "Not _that_ You Know Who, Silly.  Draco.  I hate him so much I don't even want to speak his name." 

            It was as if he'd been flying and someone had suddenly pulled him straight off the broom.  The little whore!  How dare she say that?  She's just said she loved him!  '_no,'_ his mind corrected, '_she told _Potter_ she loved him, and she's just told _Potter_ she hates_ you!_'_

            "Alright, alright," Draco said trying not to tighten his grip on her in anger. 

            "Well can't I give you a kiss goodbye?" he asked hopefully, trying to keep himself from rolling on top of her and making her kiss him.

            "Of course," she said, and before Draco could blink her warm lips were on his, pressing urgently against him.  He responded immediately even though it felt odd to have Ginny being the one instigating things.  He'd forgotten how much he loved the feeling of her in his arms with her lips pressing up against his.

            "Bye," he mumbled as he pulled himself off the bed.

            "Night," she responded.   "I love you Harry Potter," she murmured as Draco was walking away.  Draco clutched his fist.  He hated the whore.  He _hated_ her.

            It wasn't until Draco was lying alone in his and Ginny's bed that he noticed he'd failed to do what he'd taken the potion to do.  Oh well.  He could always send home for more. 

A/N:  Sorry it took so long to update, but school has started up again and I'm in for a hard year!  If you'd like to be added to the e-mail update list, leave your e-mail address in your review. 


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